Territorians urged to get safe Covid-19 vaccines as soon as possible

The Victorian outbreak has sparked urgent pleas for eligible Territorians to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

VACCINE-hesitant Territorians are being given an ultimatum: get the vaccine or get Covid-19.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner and acting chief health officer Charles Pain on Monday said the Northern Territory’s remarkable performance throughout the pandemic had only bought time, with outbreaks of the disease inevitable when borders opened to the rest of the world.

A worsening outbreak in Victoria has also sparked fears the Territory’s most vulnerable populations are at high risk.

Dr Pain said vaccine reluctancy among Aboriginal communities and frontline health workers was alarming and urged everyone eligible to get the jab as soon as possible.

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“When it comes to healthcare staff, it’s still lower than it should be,” he said.

“I’m not satisfied with the levels.

“We really need to get up to about 80 per cent vaccine coverage for us to be properly protected.”

Dr Pain said there had always been anti-vaxxers but urged the public to trust scientists and medical experts.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner has urged Territorians to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Picture Glenn Campbell

Mr Gunner said clamping down on the virus had only bought the Territory time to roll out the vaccine and it could not hold out SARS-CoV-2 forever.

“This is effectively the choice you have in front of you: vaccinate, or get Covid,” he said.

“We’ve got a gift of time that nowhere else really in the world has … but we’ve got to use it, we’ve got to vaccinate.”

Mr Gunner said he was in discussions with his federal counterparts about opening up the vaccine to all age groups in Darwin, to turbocharge the rollout across the Territory.

Currently anyone aged 16 or older can receive a dose in Alice Springs.

Australian Medical Association NT president Robert Parker said social media had had a negative impact on the vaccine rollout, with misinformation rife across platforms such as Facebook.

“Unfortunately, when people are afraid, social media can have a significant amplifying affect,” Dr Parker said.

The Covid-19 vaccine will save lives of vulnerable Australians. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

However, he urged people to listen to medical experts over online chatter, saying it was Australians’ obligation to the community to get the vaccine.

“It’s essential if we’re going to get back to normal life in Australia, that we all get vaccinated.”

Dr Parker said fears of the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood-clotting had played a role in dampening Australia’s rollout of the vaccine, as had mixed messaging from the Australian government over whether the Covid-19 vaccine was “a race”.

“I would be very enthusiastic for as many people to get vaccinated as possible,” he said.

Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT chief executive John Paterson said uptake of the vaccine had surged following the most recent Victorian outbreak.

Mr Paterson reiterated that vaccines were safe and urged anyone eligible to get the jab.

“It’s unfortunate, the messaging around AstraZeneca,” he said.

“My advice and my message to my community members is that both vaccines are safe, they minimise hospitalisations.”

Mr Paterson said many Aboriginal communities were getting the vaccine after seeing elders putting their hands up to get the injection.

“We’re pleased – we’re working well with both governments to make sure the supplies come in.”

Almost 50,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the Northern Territory since February, according to the NT Health website.

Only 11,400 people

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