Scott Morrison jabs the experts into rethinking AstraZeneca vaccine

Scott Morrison wants the medical experts to reassess because the medical situation has changed. Picture: Gary Ramage

Scott Morrison needs to rehabilitate AstraZeneca to boost the vaccine rollout. After weeks of frustration, Morrison broke the thin facade of unity on Wednesday. With the Delta variant running amok, he put the medical experts under public pressure to rethink their advice on AstraZeneca.

A healthworker prepares a dose of AstraZeneca vaccine in Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

At the heart of this tension is the complete unaccountability of the medical experts and the complete frustration of the Prime Minister. The medical advice, given before the Delta eruption, largely destroyed confidence in AstraZeneca, the government’s vaccine workhorse.

So Morrison has been trapped. Forget the notion he should just overrule the medical advice, pitting his view against his medical experts. People wouldn’t listen and the row would damage everyone.

Morrison rejects that as a viable option.

He wants the medical experts to reassess because the medical situation has changed.

Their advice built huge selectivity into the AstraZeneca/Pfizer choice, with the consequence of damaging the vaccine rollout against Covid. It has been a grave mistake, excusable maybe when the Covid threat was low. Those days are gone.

Morrison will be slammed for resorting to public pressure, but the medical advice needs to be scrutinised. Australia is fighting Covid with one vaccine largely disabled.

The medical advice should encompass not just vaccine preferences but how public health is served by discouraging AstraZeneca to combat a more virulent Covid.