Getting to the pointy end of Aussie vaccine hesitancy

I agree with the implicit thrust of your editorial “Vaccination still the best strategy to deal with Covid” (26/5). There is no excuse for the failure to have all Australians vaccinated against the novel coronavirus (or SARS-CoV-2). After all, Australia is a wealthy country, with a small population (the population of Tokyo is 145 per cent larger). It seems to me that base politics got in the way of the most sensible solution to the ravages of Covid-19: vaccination of as many Australians as possible, as soon as possible.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin, ACT

While I agree with Janet Albrechtsen’s well-argued article “Tell us the truth about Covid, we can take it” (26/5), I would like to add another reason for the vaccination hesitancy among Australians. This country has done so well in keeping control of the virus that the chance of infection has become virtually negligible, thus removing any urgency. The fear of any, however remote, serious side effects of a vaccination outweighs the fear of getting infected.

Just wait until a number of new Covid infections reappear in the community, as they inevitably will, and people will rush to get the vaccine. Fear is a great motivator and a far more effective incentive than any free drinks or a muffin.

Dietrich Georg, St Ives, NSW

Janet Albrechtsen scorns “the fearful and the complacent” who resist vaccination. Rather, many Australians have characteristically summoned their innate common sense to guide their decision making.

With the rapid development of vaccines to combat Covid, particularly the mRNA vaccines, there are inevitable drawbacks. The risk of blood clots may be overhyped, but the worrying breakthrough of the virus in fully vaccinated health workers overseas emphasises the infancy of the research. Furthermore, the credible evidence of “gain-of-function” engineering of the virus in Chinese laboratories further suggests that the virus may not fade away like the Spanish flu.

Those who decide to wait for the most successful vaccine available are not as foolish as Albrechtsen suggests.

Vicki Sanderson, Cremorne, NSW

I despair at the federal Government’s approach to the Covid vaccine rollout. The latest cases in Melbourne show once again that the mantra we received from federal ministers and health experts early this year that Australia had no need to hurry with its vaccination program because we were in a sweet spot due to our border closures was plain wrong.

Yes, we were in a good situation, but that was the very reason to have rapid vaccination to take advantage of it and generate some normality in our economy and travel, domestic and international. Instead, we have had nothing but blather from Health Minister Greg Hunt, who surely should be replaced by someone with strong drive and conviction.

If people aren’t going to their doctors or the few mass clinics, why not set up vaccine hubs in shopping malls where there is abundant foot traffic of all ages?

For goodness sake, let’s get moving.

Eric Hodge, Pearce, ACT

It may be easy and convenient for our politicians to bribe and demand Australians get immediately vaccinated against Covid, but I for one refuse to be so coerced. Covid-19 is so mired in politics and disinformation that healthy scepticism is my first response. Why the urgency given the extremely high rate of survivability and recovery? As it stands, the only way I am being vaccinated against Covid is if I am physically restrained and forcibly injected.

Jeremy C. Browne, Ripponlea, Vic

How did I survive the AstraZeneca jab? Days afterwards I continue to pinch myself, “Am I really still alive?” And unlike Terry Birchley (Letters, 26/5), I haven’t had reports from family or friends of anyone with any side effects more severe than one may experience from flu vaccination.

Aussies’ reluctance to vaccinate is a first world choice; they would not be hesitating if living in New Delhi. And what about “social” drugs of questionable source, or poly-pharmacy, that many of us regularly partake of? We humans are a funny lot with our contradictions.

Come on, get the jab (after talking to your GP), and let’s get the Aussie show back on the road.

David Harpham, Blue Mountain Heights, Qld