Scott Morrison will urge all Australians to come forward for a booster shot in order to prevent a disastrous fourth wave of Covid-19.
As Australia continues to open up, the bleak reality of waning Covid-19 immunity is on full display in Europe, where case numbers are rising, hospitals face being overwhelmed, and countries are returning to lockdowns.
The Prime Minister will send a letter to Australians asking those who had their second jab at least six months ago to book in for a booster.
“Australia now has one of the lowest number of cases per head of population in the world, and our health response has saved over 30,000 lives,” the letter, co-signed by Health Minister Greg Hunt and chief medical officer Paul Kelly, says.
“Thanks to the high vaccination rates, we are now reopening, our economy is strongly re-emerging, and people can get back to seeing family, travelling, and living a more normal life.
“An important part of this process is ensuring that every person in Australia has access to vaccine boosters to help maintain the best possible defence against serious illness or death.
“Everyone in Australia is encouraged to take up the vaccine boosters to make sure we can keep each and every one of us safe.”
Along with the letter, an information sheet will be sent that allows family members to list the date of each member’s scheduled booster shot.
With more than 151 million extra Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots ordered, boosters are available from GPs and pharmacists.
Appointments can also be made through the federal government’s website.
With vaccination rates continuing to rise across the country, head of the vaccination task force, Lieutenant General John Frewen said he had been amazed at how many Australians had stepped forward.
“People understand just how important these vaccines are, not only for their own safety, but for the safety of their friends and families,” he told Nine’s Today show.
“The boosters are available. The supply issues that we faced in the early days don’t exist. It will be very easy to get a booster, and I encourage everyone to do so.
“Get prepared now … Now is the time. Not after you get an outbreak in your communities.”
As of Friday, more than 86 per cent of Australians over 16 are fully vaccinated.
Lieutenant General Frewen said he was preparing for the rollout of vaccinations for children aged 5-11 in the new year.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation is expected to make a decision within weeks, with jabs to commence as soon as January should the program get the tick of approval.
The push for boosters comes as many European countries are plunged back into lockdown as the winter months and a fourth wave take hold.
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