Are you
feeling ready?
Then we will get started.
Good morning
, Linda. Good morning, Michael.
How are you?
Good thanks.
I am well. Today I would like to
say thank you
to everybody involved in Australia's COVID-19
vaccine
rollout. To the general
practitioners, to the many nurses, to
everybody involved in helping to
protect our country through administering
the COVID-19 vaccine. Last week, we had a
record number of vaccines administered to
Australians, over half a million doses delivered
by trusted health care professionals
in 5,000 locations around the country.
>> First
question, why can't I decide which vaccine I get?
The decisions about who gets the vaccines
has been made by the Australian Technical Advisory,
Group on Immunisations (ATAGI) based on decisions
about protecting the people who are at most
risk first. That is why we started
with the initial phases of rolling out the
vaccine to people in
residential aged care,
disability care facilities, healthcare workforce,
frontline healthcare
workers, and now to people with serious conditions
that put them at risk of COVID-19, and people by
age.
At the moment, ATAGI's recommendation is that
people under 50 should receive the Pfizer
vaccine, and for people
aged 50 years and over, the AstraZeneca
vaccine is recommended. >>
Second question, what do I do
if I am eligible to receive the
COVID-19 vaccine but my GP
practice does not offer it? >> Over 4500
general practices across Australia are
involved with the rollout of the COVID-19
vaccines at the moment. AstraZeneca vaccine is
being rolled out through general practices.
If your general practice is not involved with the rollout, or if you are aged
under 50 years of age and you're now eligible to receive a vaccine
you fall into one of the priority groups,
you can go to the
Vaccine Eligibility Checker on health.gov.au
and put in your details and it will show you
where the vaccine is currently available. And
how you can make an appointment to get the
vaccine. >> And finally, I am
still feeling nervous about the possibility
of a blood clot. What is the latest
information I need to know about this?
>> Firstly, it is normal
to be feeling nervous and anxious. In the last
year we have all seen our lives disrupted as a
result of the pandemic.
People read news reports and are
concerned about what they read. My advice to you is if you have
concerns, please talk to your GP, please talk to your trusted
healthcare adviser, and make a decision about
the vaccine. Of course, it is up to
you as to whether you receive the vaccine or
not, but what we know is that these vaccines
save lives. If you are vaccinated
and you become exposed to COVID-19,
you are protected against developing
serious illness, or dying as a consequence
of COVID-19. And what we also know is
a pandemic is still with us. Over the last few
weeks we have seen
COVID-19 outbreaks occurring in countries
which previously had been protected from
COVID-19, as Australia has in the past. So,
please, when it is your turn to receive
the vaccine, talk to your trusted healthcare
advisor, get some advice about receiving the
vaccine. Thank you.