Depressing covid stat that shows it’s not all Scott Morrison’s fault

Australia is approaching crisis point as our once stellar reputation as a covid leader crumbles - and the Aussie public has to take responsibility.

If the race to escape the covid pandemic was the 1000m speed skating final at the 2002 Winter Olympics, Australia is in danger of becoming one of the leaders who slipped on the ice in front of Steven Bradbury.

Our navigation of a once-in-a-lifetime event was rightly lauded for much of 2020 but as we approach the halfway mark of 2021, it’s starting to feel like we’ve fallen behind.

Trust in the leaders who safely guided us through the unprecedented crisis with incredibly low case and death rates is fraying as we find ourselves moving backwards instead of forwards.

But perhaps our politicians aren’t the only ones who need to change.

To get a gauge of how the nation is feeling, news.com.au launched a poll so you can tell us whether you’re still happy with how Australia is handling the pandemic or if you’re tearing your hair out.

The results were concerning.

While a large majority blamed the Federal Government for Australia’s low vaccination rates, the overall attitude to getting vaccinated was divided.

Twenty per cent of more than 40,000 voters said they were eligible to get the vaccine but haven’t done it. A further 11 per cent said they weren’t yet eligible, but wouldn’t be getting it anyway.

That’s almost a third of responders who have no urgency to undertake the one thing needed for Australia to escape the pandemic. If we need upwards of 70 per cent of the population vaccinated to reach herd immunity, that’s a problem.

You can see the full poll results below.

Thanks for taking part and continue the conversation in the comments.