AMA calls for transparency in COVID-19 vaccine rollout
The AMA is calling for more transparency in the COVID-19 vaccine roll out and an end to the ongoing blame game.
AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid said that the war of words between the Commonwealth and Queensland Government over vaccination rates and supply was unhelpful and diminished public confidence in the vaccine roll out.
“Vaccines only protect the community when they are in people’s arms and governments needed to work together to maximise access to available vaccines. There is no excuse for them sitting in fridges and freezers,” Dr Khorshid said.
Dr Khorshid highlighted that Stage 1a of the vaccine rollout has been underway for some time and any unnecessary delays in the roll out leave the community more vulnerable, endangers people’s health and put the population at risk of further lockdowns and more economic pain. This is clear as the latest outbreaks in Queensland have been linked to unvaccinated health care workers.
“It is unacceptable that there are still unvaccinated doctors and nurses in our public hospitals caring for COVID-19 or even potential COVID-19, patients. We also know that our rural doctors in some parts of the country are struggling to access vaccinations for themselves as they often work hundreds of kilometres away from vaccination hubs,” Dr Khorshid said.
“The Commonwealth Government needs to be transparent on the number of vaccines that have already been distributed, and what the projected quantities will be going forward.
“With the States and Territories due to get millions more doses of COVID-19 vaccines, there needs to be a national plan to make sure these valuable vaccines are safely administered into the arms of Australians and don’t get stuck in fridges and freezers.”
Read the full media release here.
