Medicos urge premiers to rethink jab passports

AMA president urges state and territory leaders to reconsider their opposition to a vaccine passport.

Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid has urged state and territory leaders to reconsider their opposition to a vaccine passport, saying it was a “positive policy direction” that would encourage people to get jabs.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Dr Khorshid said the chances of vaccinated people being exposed to Covid-19 were “very small”.

Scott Morrison proposed a vaccine passport that would exempt people from restrictions during Covid-19 outbreaks, but the suggestion was shot down by state and territory leaders.

Dr Khorshid said while he understood the caution of state premiers, the measure would help lower vaccine hesitancy.

“We have a number of cases in Victoria right now of people who have contracted Covid who has been vaccinated. However, these people to my knowledge have not got sick.

“What we don’t know is whether they can transmit that to somebody else,” he said.

“So if you travelled to another state and catch the virus despite being vaccinated, is there a chance you could still bring it back to your state?

“That is what state and territory leaders are grappling with.

“However, our view is that in Australia right now, with a very limited outbreaks, the chances of you even being exposed, let alone actually contracting it and bringing it back, if you are vaccinated, are extremely small.

“We believe it is a positive policy direction which all state and territory governments should consider at this stage to help Australians make that important decision to get themselves vaccinated.”