Prime Minister Scott Morrison has hit out at a growing problem which threatens to derail Australia's COVID-19 recovery hopes.
Aussie PM Scott Morrison has revealed the biggest threat in Australia's coronavirus battle.
Mr Morrison and Secretary of the Department of Health Professor Brendan Murphy appeared live on news.com.au’s Facebook page this evening to talk about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
The chat was conducted by news.com.au’s national political editor Samantha Maiden, who asked Mr Morrison and Mr Murphy about our readers' biggest concerns and queries regarding the vaccine.
Mr Morrison said misinformation and conspiracy theories being shared on social media was one of the biggest challenges the nation faced during the pandemic.
"The issue escalated over the last 24 hours," Mr Morrison said tonight.
"I mean, there's lots of information out there on Facebook and frankly I wouldn't be paying attention to most of it, there's not a lot that's being provided by official government sources...But, you know, the matter has been escalated in the media and it was important that I addressed it as firmly as I did today."
The issue has been under the spotlight today after Mr Morrison privately rebuked rogue Coalition MP Craig Kelly over his bizarre coronavirus theories, before publicly slapping him down in Parliament.
The live chat was part of news.com.au's Our Best Shot campaign, which aims to answer your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine roll out.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Will you get vaccinated?
We've looked into everything from potential side effects, roll out details, herd immunity, anti-vaxxer hotspots, local production of the jab, common vaccine fears, the Aussies least likely to vaccinate, overseas travel and everything in between, and will continue to answer your burning questions.
RELATED: How Australia's vaccine rollout will work
Read on for all the key moments from the interview.
Prof Kelly said it wasn't necessary to take a day off work after the second jab, as some have speculated, as the "vast majority of people tolerate the vaccine very well".
He said while there might be some local symptoms at the vaccine site, or some mild "short-lived side effects" like a headache, they "won't be too bad" for most of us.
Prof Murphy said he would be "lining up with great enthusiasm" to get the coronavirus vaccine, while Mr Morrison said he would also happily get the jab.
"I think it's very important that I personally show that this is something we should do," Mr Morrison said.
"I'm in favour of vaccines and Australia has a very high vaccine rate."
The PM refused to be drawn on when we might be able to jet off on our next overseas holiday.
But we did get a pretty big clue tonight.
"I can't give you an estimate on that, I think what's really important through this pandemic…I've been upfront about what we do know and what we don't know, and we make decisions based on what we do know," he said.
"At this point, I can't give any timetable on that and it would be unwise to do so.
"I'm not going to lead people on."
But Prof Murphy tentatively indicated we might get some good news later in 2021.
"I think if we have really good efficacy with the vaccine we (may) see recommendations about restrictions lessening progressively in the second half of this year, beyond that I wouldn't want to make a prediction," he said.
Prof Murphy said the TGA would likely approve the AstraZeneca vaccine in the coming weeks.
The Pfizer jab already has the green light.
"We don't rush the regulatory authority, it goes through an independent, absolutely rigid process and I don't try to influence it at all," he said.
"I hope by the end of the month and I hope within a couple of weeks we'll get regulation on AstraZeneca."
Responding to a question on transmission, Mr Morrison said: “There’s amateur commentary on a whole range of things.”
He said he listened to the experts, adding: “I don’t speculate. Only the medical opinion is relevant.”
Mr Morrison said “we think we've got a good strategy, we're rolling out two really good vaccines initially”.
“I mean we have got 140 million doses that we've provided for here in Australia, and that's enough to vaccinate Australia several times over."
He said vaccines taken in other countries should “have the same safety as the one taken in Australia.”
“So it is important that we ensure quality and safe delivery".
Scott Morrison said the government had “carefully considered a range of factors for vaccines" and for having "a strategic stake in all the types of vaccines".
He said the capacity for onshore production, which Australia has with the AstraZeneca vaccine, had been particularly important.
“You've seen already international supply chain issues will be important,” he said, after concerns over the European Union's row with AstraZeneca over exports.
“We are continuing to evaluate the best vaccine supply for our country,” he added.
The PM has lashed Coalition MP Craig Kelly over his bizarre coronavirus views.
Earlier today, the PM hauled in the rogue MP for a face-to-face dressing down over quack COVID-19 cures he has been pushing on social media.
His second attempt to rein in the NSW MP follows Mr Kelly’s televised clash with Labor’s Tanya Plibersek in the corridors of Parliament this morning.
This evening, he said Mr Kelly was not someone he took advice from.
"The person that I take my advice from in terms of what's appropriate for Australia, well, one of them is sitting on this call right now," he said.
"(Deputy Chief Medical Officer) Professor (Paul) Kelly is the Kelly that I listen to, when it comes to what we should be doing with our vaccines."
He said that listening to expert advice and not political commentary was "what I expect of all of my government members."
"I think this issue has been exacerbated it's been an issue of great sort of public interest and there's been a lot of drama and theater around it, which is, you know something's obviously got people attention," he added.
"You know, if you want to know what you should be doing about the vaccine, listen to the guy who's on this on this call.
"The issue escalated over the last 24 hours. I mean, there's lots of information out there on Facebook and frankly I wouldn't be paying attention to most of it, there's not a lot that's being provided by official government sources, and I didn't see any reason to draw attention to these things. But, you know, the matter has been escalated in the media and it was important that I addressed it as firmly as I did today."
Mr Morrison was also asked by political editor Samantha Maiden why he hadn't ordered Mr Kelly to stand down weeks ago, given the controversy his comments have sparked.
"The matter is done," Mr Murphy said.
When asked if Mr Kelly would be taking his Facebook posts down, Mr Morrison said "he was taking the actions he needed to take".
Asked about people with allergies, the Prime Minister said the vaccines were unlikely to promote a "severe allergic reaction”.
But he conceded that there had been a small number of allergic reactions with the Pfizer vaccine.
People with allergies to ingredients in the vaccines are not advised to take it.
A lot of readers have asked if both doses need to the same vaccine.
And the answer? Yes.
"All evidence suggests you're better off with the same vaccine for the second dose, that gives you the best immunity protection, so it's silly to mix and match," Prof Murphy said.
Many news.com.au readers have asked why they should bother getting the jab, if borders and overseas travel won't reopen immediately.
Mr Morrison said there were two key reasons to get vaccinated, which will help travel get back on track.
"Building up that vaccination among the population over time leads to herd immunity which protects everyone – everyone is at risk of quite severe forms of the disease; we've had very young people affected," Mr Morrison said, adding it was "not limited" to older people.
"It's in everybody's interest together over time to build up the vaccination right across the country, and that's true all the way around the world."
Prof Murphy said if the vaccines were effective, as expected, then "the sooner the population is vaccinated the sooner people will be protected…and we will get on this path toward good herd immunity and that will speed up the return to international travel."
Mr Morrison said the government would be more likely to ease restrictions if it was confident outbreaks wouldn't lead to mass deaths, which would be prevented with widespread vaccination.
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