ALLISON LANGDON:
Well Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout is feeling very real this morning with the Federal Government officially launching a $24 million advertising blitz to encourage Aussies to get the jab.
[Plays COVID-19 vaccine advertisement]
And Chief Midwifery and Nursing Officer, Professor Alison McMillan joins us now in Canberra. Professor, thank you so much for your time this morning. Look, we’ve had very shocking and memorable public health campaigns in the past, like the Grim Reaper when it came to HIV. When we’re talking about saving lives here, do you think this is really going to have the impact that we need?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Good morning, Ally. Yes, I think that we’re building the confidence and providing information to the community about this vaccine as we commence the rollout. So, we need to be very transparent and provide the information they’re looking for to have confidence in the vaccine program that we’re about to start.
ALLISON LANGDON:
I think we’ve been hearing this information coming from our health official’s day after day. And I guess, one of the things I think perhaps we were expecting to see is for there to be more of an emotional connection with this ad, perhaps people in ICU units. So, for it to have that impact on people to realise they’ve got to step up and do their bit?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Well I think, Ally, we used some of those aspects in encouraging people to do the right thing and we want people to continue to do all of the things we’ve been doing so successfully. But I think when it comes to a campaign, we know that Australia’s one of the most successful countries in vaccination in general. We know that people, if provided the right information, will make the choice that’s best for them and I think that’s our intent here, is to provide the information so people can make a decision for themselves.
ALLISON LANGDON:
There is so much misinformation out there, as you know. Do you think you can turn around the doubters, the sceptics?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
There will always be people who are sceptic about this and I acknowledge their right to make a decision for themselves. But I think it’s important that people go to where the credible and reliable information is and that’s why, as you heard in the advertisement just now, we’re encouraging people to go to our website where they can have confidence information is transparent and we’re providing it to them.
ALLISON LANGDON:
So, there are certain phases of this campaign. Can you just talk us through what of those key messages each of those phases is?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Well, we have already been running a campaign, as you know Ally, for now a whole year in relation to COVID-19. Now we’re starting with television advertising, social media, information to all of our health professionals, be written, be on websites. Every channel we can possibly think of, will be providing information to the community and answering questions as they come along. So, the rollout will continue over a period of time and as different groups - the vaccine becomes available to different groups of the population, we’ll be telling them where and how they can get the vaccine. But as you know, our priority for now is healthcare workers.
ALLISON LANGDON:
There seems a lot of concern, particularly from young women about the long-term effects of the vaccine. Is that fear warranted?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
I think that everyone should inform themselves with reliable information. I think that we also know that young women often could take up the vaccines and vaccines when that information is available to them. Again, I encourage everyone get informed, be informed and make the decisions for yourself.
ALLISON LANGDON:
So, what’s tougher - getting people on board or the logistics in actually rolling this out?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
I think the logistics are pretty tough too. I think that particularly with the Pfizer vaccine with the need for it to be kept cold. We’re working through all of those and as you know, we as a Commonwealth Government are leading that distribution program. You know we’re going to learn as we go. The great advantage we’ve got is others have done this before us and we can learn from what they’ve experienced and what they’ve been able to do.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Are you confident the majority of Australians will get the jab?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
I am. And everything we’re hearing and reading at the moment is suggesting that will be so. Obviously, our focus initially is on residents in aged care facilities, healthcare workers, aged care workers and those working at the frontline, such as in quarantine. I know of the coming months, it will be rolled out to the broader population.
ALLISON LANGDON:
And just speaking about our elderly, because the AstraZeneca vaccine - there is issues with it or concerns that you haven't tested it enough on the elderly. Does that bother you and is that a fair concern?
ALISON MCMILLAN:
Ally, we use, as you’ve heard already, we use ATAGI to provide our advice on the data available to us about the population groups we should be vaccinating. ATAGI has not yet completed its work on the data available on AstraZeneca. When it does, it will give its recommendations, based, not only on the evidence that’s been provided in recent times, but also the experience across the world. So, I’m not going to speculate on what ATAGI will say about AstraZeneca. We’ll wait to hear what they’ve got to say for us.
ALLISON LANGDON:
Alright. Professor, thanks for joining us this morning. Let’s hope the campaign works.
Contact
