The spread of vaccines in Australia has been slow and erratic, with mixed messages from government leaders and health consultants.
The top professional organization for doctors in the country recommends that people follow the guidelines of the Australian Immunization Technical Advisory Group when deciding whether to take Covid vaccine. ATAGI advises the Minister of Health on vaccination issues in Australia.
“We recommend following the advice of experts, but at the end of the day, people can make their own decisions because these are all safe and effective vaccines,” Omar Horshid, president of the Australian Medical Association, told Acesparks’s Squawk channel on Thursday. Asian box. “
While Australia has had comparative success in controlling communicable diseases, it is faces some restrictions on vaccine delivery. Currently, only Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca shots are allowed for use, and both require two doses to fully vaccinate.
Mixed messages sent by the Australian government and ATAGI have caused confusion and hesitation about available vaccines and their safety.
What do the experts say?
ATAGI People between the ages of 16 and 59 should get Pfizer bullets, the government says these people can choose AstraZeneca after consulting their doctors.
The country is short of Pfizer shots and reported the bulk of the doses may only come in the third quarter.
The recommendation of the advisory group then came The data showed a higher risk and severity of a very rare blood clotting disorder called thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome associated with the use of AstraZeneca vaccines observed in Australian adults over the age of 50 years.
People lined up in front of the vaccination center in Sydney on June 24, 2021, as the population was barred from leaving the city as the highly contagious Delta Covid-19 variant spread to other regions.
SAEED XAN | AFP | Getty Images
For these 60-year-olds and older, the group noted that the benefits of taking a dose of AstraZeneca outweigh the risk of developing blood clots.
What does the government say?
On Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said those under the age of 60 could get the AstraZeneca vaccine if they wished, provided they discuss it with their doctors. A new “guilt reimbursement scheme” will be implemented in the country for general practitioners who send Covid-19 vaccines, he added.
“ATAGI’s recommendations speak to the benefits of AstraZeneca and the fact that it is available to people over the age of 60. But that advice does not prevent people under the age of 60 from getting the AstraZeneca vaccine,” Morrison said. according to the official transcript of his press conference.
“So, if you want to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, we recommend that you … go and talk to your doctor,” he said.
Vaccination process
Horshid of the Australian Medical Association said the vaccine distribution is developing relatively well, despite various messages and political tactics. He said two-thirds of Australia’s most vulnerable population has already received at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and should receive a second dose.
Still, Showed statistics compiled by “The World in Our Data” more than 23 percent of the population was vaccinated in at least one dose, and only about 6 percent were vaccinated.
Aerial view of Sixty Martin Place, Sydney, Australia.
Mark Syke | View photos | Universal Image Group | Getty Images
Officials are also trying to contain the outbreaks in Australia as the country seeks to stop the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus delta variant, which was first discovered in India.
Reports say Seven cities with a population of about 12 million, such as Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, are currently closed.
Horshid told Acesparks the medical association the national cabinet wants to accelerate on broader issues such as border closure agreements and hotel quarantine regulation.
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