Push to ramp up government advertising on vaccine rollout

Pressure is mounting on the federal government to boost its vaccine marketing campaign in light of growing problems in the nation’s rollout.

Scott Morrison says there is “no point” trying to convince Aussies in their 30s to get a COVID-19 vaccine because the supplies aren’t available to make them eligible for the jab.

Pressure is mounting on the federal government to launch an advertising blitz to encourage more people to be vaccinated after the AstraZeneca jab was no longer recommended for people aged under 50.

Speaking in Melbourne on Thursday, the Prime Minister said $40m had already been invested in promoting the rollout.

Asked if the government should double the spend to $80m to speed up the rollout, Mr Morrison said that “does not bring the Pfizer vaccines here any sooner”.

“The intention is to do this as quickly as possible,” Mr Morrison told 3AW.

“But towards the end of the year will be a big ramp up because that’s when all the supplies come in.”

He said there was “no point in talking to people who are 30 years old at the moment” because they can’t go and get a vaccine.

“You have got to make sure you are going to manage the vaccines being available when you’re actually talking to people about when it’s their turn,” Mr Morrison said.

“We are talking to those who are eligible for the vaccine at the moment, which is over 50s and particularly those who are over 70.”

Scott Morrison says there will be a ‘big ramp up’ in vaccines at the end of the year.

Mr Morrison said three million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had already been administered in Australia, and more than 40 per cent of people aged over 70 had been vaccinated.

“There is more communications going into the more elderly population, and you will see that rolled out in the weeks ahead,” he said.

“In the second half of the year we will be able to be moving into the other age groups when the Pfizer vaccines will be coming through in larger quantities.

“We have already got two-thirds of the population, which is very comfortable with getting vaccinated.

“That’s what those sort of public surveys are saying.”

There‘s around 65% of the population is very happy to go on the vaccine. So right now the focus is ensuring that those who are very happy to go and do it.

But crossbench senator Jacqui Lambie told Sky News that a “much-bigger go” at marketing the vaccine rollout would help boost confidence.

“You have got a lot of negativity going out there on the ground about those vaccines, especially the AstraZeneca,” Senator Lambie said.

“And what we are hearing about that, the negativity coming out of there, is making it more difficult for people to actually line up and get those shots.”

The calls for a more effective communication strategy have been backed by the Australian Medical Association.

Infectious diseases specialist Dr Sanjaya Senanayake also suggested flooding the airwaves with ads communicating the risks of not being vaccinated.

“We have to keep communicating the risk – not just the low risk from the vaccines, of side-effects – the high risk of what COVID-19 can do if it gets established into the community,” Dr Senanayake told Sunrise.

Pfizer vaccines arrive into Sydney International Airport. Picture: POOL via NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler said vaccinating Australians was a race, adding countries that like Australia did well to contain the original virus were now seeing big outbreaks of new COVID variants.

“We cannot afford to be complacent about this virus,” Mr Butler said.

“Again, I call on the prime minister to put in place a strong community information campaign to bolster confidence in our vaccine rollout program.”

Mr Morrison was also asked how a vaccine passport would work inside Australia’s domestic borders.

“If you are fully vaccinated and the state government decides to close the border … if you’re vaccinated, then you might be able not to be subject to those restrictions,” he said, adding he was speaking with state leaders about it.

“After you’ve had that holiday up in Cairns, then you’ll be able to come back to Victoria (and) not get stopped at the border.”

Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said Australians should be prepared to have a vaccine passport on their phones

“New technology needs to be built into the way in which we live,” Mr Marles told ABC Breakfast.

“The idea that there is going to be some level of recognition in terms of whether or not we’ve had the vaccine … I think, is where we’re going.

“At the end of the day, what the government needs to do is get us vaccinated.”