New data show the shock number of over-60s who are yet to receive any Covid jab

The AstraZeneca vaccine’s benefits far outweigh the greater risk of serious disease from Covid-19, health authorities say, as new data show just how many older Tasmanians are yet to have a single jab.

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OLDER Tasmanians hesitant to get the AstraZeneca vaccine should contemplate the greater risk of serious disease caused by Covid-19, say health authorities and advocates for the aged.

National vaccination rollout data shows more than 20 per cent of those aged 60 and above have not yet received a single dose of the vaccine.

Based on official Tasmanian population figures from the 2016 Australian Census, that equates to more than 27,000 people, though that number is likely now higher.

AstraZeneca is the recommended vaccine for people in that age bracket, and health department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks admitted there was some hesitancy about that jab.

“I’ve had some feedback ... from people that have asked the question, ‘I’m over 60, if I’m not necessarily comfortable about AstraZeneca, should I hold for Pfizer?’,” she said.

“I think that’s a choice that each individual does need to make, but it’s one in the knowledge that [the] Delta [strain] can move very, very quickly.
“I think everyone who has seen the positive case that we’ve had in Tasmania last Thursday can know that that vaccination question is just critically important.”

The AstraZeneca vaccine is linked to a rare blood clotting condition mostly affecting younger Australians. Six people, including one Tasmanian, have died from a total of almost seven million doses.

As a result, the Pfizer vaccine is recommended for those aged under 60, with certain groups of people as young as 12 now eligible to access that jab.

A vial of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Council on the Ageing Tasmanian chief executive Sue Leitch said the situation in other mainland states was a stark reminder of the risk still posed by Covid-19.

“I would be suggesting to people that they would want to reconsider their hesitancy, have a serious chat to their GP and consider getting vaccinated now rather than waiting for the availability of Pfizer being released to this age group,” she said.

“There’s a far higher risk from serious health conditions from catching Covid-19.”

Ms Leitch said high vaccination rates were the key to returning to a new Covid normal, including domestic and overseas travel.

“People over the age of 60 do enjoy their travel, and if we want to get back travelling across Australia and the world, we need to be vaccinated,” she said.

Ms Leitch said more capacity in general practitioners and pharmacies offering AstraZeneca would hopefully result in a higher uptake of the vaccine.

Ms Morgan-Wicks said from next week, 11 community pharmacies would be joining the vaccination effort, targeted towards the over-60s demographic, delivering AstraZeneca.

“We’ve specifically chosen geographic areas where we can see lower rates of over-60 vaccination,” she said.

Health department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Ms Morgan-Wicks said authorities would also consider setting up another state clinic in a particular area if needed.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff said of 180,000 vaccine doses delivered in state clinics to date less than 100 doses had been wasted, representing a wastage rate of just 0.05 per cent.

The figure is in contrast to stats revealed in an exclusive News Corp report on Sunday morning that showed hundreds of thousands of doses are being thrown out.

State vaccination clinics are currently offering second doses of AstraZeneca and doses one and two of Pfizer and some general practitioners are offering all doses of both.

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