Aussies fear risk from emerging PNG Covid strains

More than three quarters of Australians say they are concerned about the threat of new strands coming out of PNG.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape. Picture Gary Ramage

More than three-quarters of Australians say they are concerned about new COVID-19 strains from Papua New Guinea and back moves to send one million AstraZeneca vaccine doses there.

According to polling conducted by YouGov, 82 per cent of respondents say they support the notion emerging coronavirus variants from PNG pose a risk to Australia, and eight out of 10 agree with Scott Morrison that there is a risk in accepting travellers from the island nation.

The Prime Minister has moved recently to divert some of Australia’s AstraZeneca stock to PNG to quell a COVID-19 surge that has decimated its hospital system.

The YouGov polling, commissioned by the Australian Council for International Development, said 76 per cent of respondents in Australia believed Mr Morrison should donate one million of Australia’s 50 million domestically produced AstraZeneca vaccines to PNG.

ACFID chief executive Marc Purcell told The Australian that PNG’s closeness to Australia, particularly north Queensland, should propel the Morrison government to do more to fight the PNG outbreak.

“Tourism operators across the country, especially in Queensland, need confidence their businesses can resume and be sustained. Lowering the COVID caseload in PNG is critical to restoring that confidence. After all, only 4km separates north Queensland from PNG.

“Whether it is a hotel hosting conferences on the Gold Coast, a 4x4 operator on Fraser Island or an eco-lodge in the Daintree, nobody wants further lockdowns. We need to act with urgency to get PNG vaccinated.”

The number of cases in PNG has accelerated since the new year, with most of the almost 7500 ­diagnoses recorded last month. Australia has requested the European Commission send to PNG one million of the foreign-produced AstraZeneca doses the Morrison government has secured.