SARAH ABO:
Well, Novak Djokovic will remain in Australia for now as the Federal Court agrees he did in fact have a medical exemption to enter the country.
ALEX CULLEN:
Meanwhile, it was a shaky start to the kids' vaccine rollout. Day 2, and already parents across the country have been left frustrated by delays and cancellations. For more on this we're joined by Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd in Canberra. Professor, good morning to you. We'll get the rollout in a moment- we'll get to that, but just explain to us at home, how do medical exemptions to enter Australia normally work?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Right. So, unfortunately, I don't have the information on that, Alex. That is an issue for the Department of Home Affairs but I am happy to talk about the rollout of the five to eleven-year-old vaccine program which commenced yesterday. And a very strong start yesterday. We had over 35,000 five to eleven-year-olds. In fact, 35,077 who turned up with their mum or dad to get the first dose of their COVID vaccine. So, big thanks to all those five to eleven-year-olds who are watching today who had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine yesterday. Thank you for the part that you're playing in tackling this pandemic.
SARAH ABO:
I guess this medical exemption really just in general for anyone entering Australia, you really can't enter, can you, without a medical exemption if you haven't been vaccinated. Is that right?
MICHAEL KIDD:
We require people to be vaccinated coming into Australia. The reason for this, of course, is we know vaccination is the way we are tackling COVID-19, and it's very important that everybody in Australia has the opportunity to be vaccinated. By being vaccinated, you're not only protecting yourself from becoming seriously unwell, you're also protecting other family members, including those who are unable to be vaccinated. Remember, at the moment we're starting the vaccination rollout for the five to eleven-year-olds. We don't have vaccines available for those aged under five. These children are still vulnerable to COVID-19 so it's really important that we are all getting vaccinated.
And a message also to those who've not yet had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine - it's not too late. So, please make an appointment today. The boosters are rolling out very strongly. Yesterday, over 190,000 people who are eligible for boosters turned up to have their boosters turned up to have their booster shots at general practices, pharmacies, start and territory clinics, Aboriginal medical services across the country. We're now at 43.7 per cent of people who are eligible to have a booster have already received their booster. So, again, thank you to everyone who's doing that, and please keep rolling up your sleeve.
ALEX CULLEN:
Last question, I promise, on Novak Djokovic, Professor. I know you don't want to go there, but look, he is not vaccinated. I ask you: Should he be there?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Again, that's not something that I can talk about, but very happy to talk about the vaccine rollout in our own country. It is very important we are protecting everyone in Australia, and of course, by protecting ourselves we're also protecting our health system from becoming overwhelmed by people who have not been vaccinated and have become seriously unwell from COVID-19 infection.
SARAH ABO:
On that rollout, many parents have been struggling to access GP bookings to get their kids jabbed. They are trying to do the right thing but it seems as though there's a road block there. How long will these delays remain in place?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Yeah. So, look, I'm a general practitioner and I fully understand that many parents would like to have their children vaccinated in their local general practice by their own GP or by the wonderful nurse at their local general practice because this, of course, is where their children are used to receiving their childhood vaccinations as well. However, we do have to vaccinate 2.3 million children over the coming weeks to the end of January. We have at the moment 6000 sites around Australia where children can receive the Pfizer paediatric vaccine. That will increase to 8000 sites over the coming days. So if you can't get an appointment with your own local GP, you will be able to get appointments at your local pharmacies or at the state and territory clinics over the next couple of weeks. There are new appointments becoming available every hour. As general practices and pharmacies receive their doses, they then set up their clinics and put those online for people to start making appointments.
ALEX CULLEN:
Professor, I've got three kids under three and we want to get those kids vaccinated ASAP. What about vaccinations for kids under five? Where are we at with that?
MICHAEL KIDD:
Yeah, look, it's a really good question, Alex. Obviously, there is work under way by researchers around the world looking at vaccines which are going to be safe and effective for those aged under five. At the moment, we don't have those vaccines available. If they do get developed and become available around the world, Therapeutic Goods Administration, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation will do their work in assessing whether those vaccines are appropriate for registration and use in Australia.
At the moment, as I mentioned earlier, the thing that we can all do to protect the under fives is for everyone else aged five and above in the household to get vaccinated, and by doing so we're protecting the littlies in our family well.
ALEX CULLEN:
Are we talking months, years for vaccinations for kids under five?
MICHAEL KIDD:
I can't predict exactly how long. Obviously, we didn't think that we were going to have vaccines rolling out as quickly as we did for COVID-19, but there is this enormous global effort unprecedented in developing vaccines to protect the people of the world underway in Australia and in many other countries around the world. So, I wouldn't like to put a timeframe on it. I expect it will be sooner than I expect.
SARAH ABO:
Professor, just quickly, you know, we know the Prime Minister has ruled out further lockdowns but we have had 500,000 cases in just the past week. Do you agree that lockdowns are really a thing of the past?
MICHAEL KIDD:
We certainly hope that lockdowns are a thing of the past. And what is important to remember is even though we have very high numbers of people being diagnosed with COVID-19 each day, many of these people have no symptoms, the majority of people have mild symptoms. They may have a runny nose, aches and pains, sore throat or a dry cough. It is only a small percentage who become unwell and who are requiring medical attention or a very small percentage who are requiring hospitalisation. So, at the moment, again, and the way to protect people from becoming seriously unwell, vaccination.
ALEX CULLEN:
Professor, any parting words for the unvaccinated Novak Djokovic?
MICHAEL KIDD:
My parting words to everybody who has not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Australia is please make an appointment today, roll your sleeve up, get your vaccine.
SARAH ABO:
Novak could probably get a jab too while he's here if he wants.
ALEX CULLEN:
If he wants, if he wants. He's not quite there, the want part, is it, though? Anyway, Professor, thank you for your expertise as always.
MICHAEL KIDD:
Thank you.
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