#covid19 #auspol the narrative about vaccination to prevent outbreaks. Is it dangerous? US, UK, Israel, the…

#covid19 #auspol the narrative about vaccination to prevent outbreaks. Is it dangerous? US, UK, Israel, the fast vaccinators. 5-6 months in, still only 40-60% of populations vaccinated. Vaccination isn't a speed tool to prevent and control outbreaks. 1/n https://t.co/SqPZTAuxmb

Surely the *strategic* emphasis now MUST be prevention of virus transmission? Borders, movement and gathering restrictions, social distancing, ventilation. Vaccinate alongside all of that. We have Premiers publicly saying...2/n

...vaccinate to allow the virus to circulate in the community. That's lethally stupid, surely? The surest way to cause viral evolution to defeat the vaccines. 3/n

The 'hesitancy' in OZ over AZ - the urgency to even use that vaccine based entirely upon the (false) idea that vaccination is our best weapon against outbreaks. If we vaccinated at Israel-speed, we would still not be at 60% coverage by Christmas. 4/n

Surely Oz must focus most heavily now upon tighter quarantine and social distancing, on prevention of viral transmission, into the country and within it? Removes the pressure on hesitancy too, by allowing a more considered vaccine rollout, as NZ is doing. 5/n

mRNA vaccine supply should be plentiful in second half of 2021. Let people use that, again forcing them to vaccinate now even at pace will do very little to prevent and control outbreaks anyway. The UK has 40% coverage and still gets outbreaks. 6/end