COVID vaccine roll out ‘failure’ for Australians with disability

Of about 26,000 Australians with a disability who live in supported accommodation, fewer than 1000 have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far.

Of about 26,000 Australians with a disability who live in supported accommodation, fewer than 1000 have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far.

Health Minister Greg Hunt revealed 999 disability residents had received the jab by midday on Monday amid evidence heard at the disability royal commission on Monday which described the rollout as an “abject failure”. Mr Hunt said 1527 disability workers had been vaccinated.

The commission heard earlier in the day that by May 6, just 127 residents had received two vaccine doses while 707 had one jab since the national rollout began on February 22.

The rollout to disability residents has been beleaguered with problems, including confusion about self-identifying as a member of the vaccine priority group due to poor communication and incorrect assumptions that disability residences are similar in size to aged care facilities.

Department of Health associate secretary Caroline Edwards, a senior bureaucrat in charge of the vaccine rollout, admitted she had decided in March to prioritise aged care residents over people in disability care after consultation with the Chief Medical Officer and other ministers.

“There was a decision to focus the resources of the commonwealth in-reach providers to aged care residents first,” she said.

Ms Edwards said she accepted the rollout to disability residents had “been very slow and we have a lot of work to do” but stood by her choice because aged care residents were at the highest risk.

Opposition spokesman Bill Shorten described the disability rollout as “a national disgrace”.