Australia’s coronavirus vaccine rollout has started slowly due to supply shortages and logistical hiccups. Once it started, we vaccinated over 95% of the population.
This week’s coronavirus review report includes a number of recommendations to improve Australia’s vaccine preparedness the next time we face a pandemic or health emergency.
While this study gets most things right, as vaccine experts we argue that the government’s response should expand to three areas:
Expand compensation programs for people suffering all types of vaccine harm Better understand why people don’t keep their vaccinations up to date Provide community helpers in marginalized communities with vaccine information and Provide support to combat the information
Australians should be compensated not just during the pandemic, but also after the harm caused by vaccines
The review recommends that Australia’s coronavirus vaccine claims system be reviewed within the next 12 to 18 months to inform the future system during the national health emergency.
Early in the pandemic, vaccine experts called on the Australian government to establish a COVID-19 vaccine injury compensation scheme.
This means that in rare cases where there was no negligence in the manufacture or administration of the vaccine, people who are seriously injured and the families of those who die will receive compensation.
Vaccine experts recommended creating such a system based on the principle of reciprocity. Australians have been asked to accept recommended coronavirus vaccines in good faith for their health benefits and the benefit of their communities. Therefore, you should be compensated if something goes wrong.
In 2021, the Australian Government announced a new coronavirus vaccine claims system. In stark contrast to 25 other countries, including the US, UK and New Zealand, Australia has never had such a system.
The Australian scheme ended on 30 September 2024.
The report recommends considering the following:
The complexity of the claims process, resulting in delayed or refused payments, has led to some link between the system and vaccination hesitancy.
However, this is currently only being framed within plans used to respond to future epidemics or pandemics.
Instead, we need a permanent and continuous vaccine coverage system for all routine vaccines available in national immunization programs.
As we have learned from similar plans in other countries, this will contribute to the trust and confidence needed to improve uptake of vaccines currently in the program, and any new vaccines added in the future. In rare cases, it is also right and fair to care for people injured by vaccines.
Lack of trust isn’t the only reason people won’t get vaccinated
The COVID-19 survey should develop a national strategy to rebuild community trust in vaccines and improve vaccination rates, including the currently declining vaccination rates for children (non-COVID-19). Recommended.
The coronavirus vaccine program is impacting confidence in routine vaccines. Childhood vaccination rates decreased by 1-2%. And there are deep-rooted issues with timeliness. That means children cannot receive the vaccine within 30 days of the recommended time.
The national Vaxinsights project investigated social and behavioral drivers of under-vaccination among parents of children under 5 years of age. Access issues were found to be the main barrier for partially vaccinated children. Cost, reservation difficulty, and prioritization of reservations due to other conflicting needs were other barriers. Trust was not a major barrier for this group.
However, for unvaccinated children, concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy and trust in information from health care providers, rather than barriers to access, were key issues.
To improve childhood vaccination rates, governments should monitor social and behavioral factors of vaccination over time and track changes in vaccine acceptance. Barriers to accessing immunization services, such as affordability and clinic hours, must also be addressed.
We also hope that we will learn from the lessons of COVID-19 and better engage communities and priority populations, such as Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, and people from different cultural groups, to provide community drop-in and outreach vaccines. Building trust and improving access through programs is also essential. .
Addressing the decline in COVID-19 vaccination among adults requires a focus on perceived need, risk, and value, rather than just focusing on trust. Adults will not receive the vaccine unless they believe they are at risk. Unfortunately, when it comes to coronavirus, people have moved on and few think they need a booster.
Changes and enhancements to vaccine variants, such as combination vaccines to protect against COVID-19 and influenza, or RSV, and vaccines that provide long-term protection, could encourage people to get vaccinated in the future. there is. In the meantime, we agree with research that we should focus on those most at risk of severe outcomes, such as residents in aged care and those with chronic health conditions. .
Invest in community-driven strategies to increase adoption rates
The coronavirus review recommends developing a health emergency communications strategy to ensure all Australians, including priority populations, families and people in industries, have the information they need. There is.
While these are not strictly focused on promoting vaccination, the suggestions include the need to work closely with and fund communities and representative organizations, as our coronavirus research has shown. It matches the thing.
But the government needs to go a step further. Communication about vaccines needs to be customized and clearly translated for different cultural groups.
In some situations, messages about vaccines are most impactful when they come from health care workers. However, this is not always the case. Some people prefer to hear authentic voices from their own community. In Indigenous communities, these roles are often combined in the form of Aboriginal health workers.
We must support these voices in future health emergencies.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, there was insufficient support and training for community helpers to support vaccine rollout efforts, including community leaders, faith leaders, bilingual community workers, and other trusted advocates.
Governments should consider implementing a national training program to support those tasked (or volunteering) with disseminating information about vaccines during health emergencies. This will give you the information and confidence you need to take on this role, as well as help you deal with misinformation.
