Why attention is turning to vaccinating young adults
Doherty Institute modelling calling for 20- to 39-year-olds, considered “peak transmitters” of the Delta variant of Covid-19, to have their jabs brought forward has given health authorities and governments an important road map. And it converges well with Australia’s current pandemic and vaccine situation. The Doherty research, released by Scott Morrison and the institute’s Jodie McVernon, shows prioritising the vaccination of all adults, not just the oldest, would have a strong positive effect on the number of deaths and intensive care unit and hospital admissions in any major outbreak when the nation reached 70 per cent vaccine coverage.
Protection rates among older Australians are edging up. About 80 per cent of people over 70 have had one jab, more than 40 per cent are fully vaccinated. The comparative figures for ages 16 and older are just under half those levels. In view of the NSW and Queensland lockdowns, and the easy spread of Delta, we need to catch up urgently. And we are. More than 200,000 people were vaccinated in the 24 hours to Tuesday afternoon. Australians, who traditionally are strong supporters of childhood immunisation, appear to be rolling up their sleeves, despite initial supply problems with the vaccines and some mixed messaging.
A new lightning response vaccination unit to step up vaccines in areas suffering infection outbreaks promises to be an effective part of the Morrison government’s battle plan. The new National Response Option will be dispersed nationally and be on call to move quickly to support states and territories by providing between 2000 and 3000 additional vaccinations daily across two weeks. It will include about 50 clinical staff as well as support staff. Such a practical initiative should help get vaccine numbers up during outbreaks when citizens become deeply concerned about the virus. It makes eminently more sense than Anthony Albanese’s proposal to pay out $300 in public money to every Australian, regardless of their means, who gets vaccinated by December 1. Such a $6bn cash splash would set a bad precedent for future vaccine campaigns. It also reveals a tawdry disregard on the part of the opposition in terms of what motivates Australians and for common sense. The “bubble without a thought”, as the Prime Minister described it, put the opposition on the back foot during question time on Tuesday. Some countries are dallying with the idea of financial inducements to maintain vaccine momentum. But protecting their health, and that of their families, is the incentive that motivates most people to be vaccinated. So does the prospect of resuming life as it was until 18 months ago, especially freedom of movement, in Australia and overseas. Bonus frequent-flyer points and discounts could be handy sweeteners if businesses want to provide them.
While the nation’s path to protecting itself against Covid is becoming clearer, many Queenslanders are frustrated and anxious, feeling stranded in a different bubble.
On Monday, as the outbreak in Queensland’s southeast worsened, chief health officer Jeannette Young repeated her comments discouraging young people from having the AstraZeneca vaccine. “I said I didn’t want 18-year-olds to have AstraZeneca and I still don’t,” Dr Young said. Epidemiologists and federal officials repudiated her comments, which were at odds with official advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. ATAGI recommends all adults in hotspots should “strongly consider” speaking to their doctor about being vaccinated. Deputy chief medical officer Michael Kidd said the southeast Queensland outbreak, which has put 11 local government areas under lockdown, met the threshold to be considered significant. University of Queensland infectious diseases expert Paul Griffin said authorities needed to be careful to avoid increasing vaccine hesitancy. On Tuesday, Dr Young shifted her rhetoric slightly. She said she believed the state was “on the verge of a large outbreak” and conceded “now is the time” people under 60 should consider talking to their GPs about having AstraZeneca.
With 10 of 16 new Delta cases revealed on Tuesday occurring in primary and secondary students, including five children under 10, the Brisbane outbreak poses new challenges. As it unfolds, epidemiologists are looking at the possibility of new advice on masks and vaccine guidelines. As the world has seen before, the virus has a track record of producing unexpected, nasty surprises.
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