Message from the Publisher #027 – Still on the right track

Still on the right track

With people taking up vaccination in the US and UK and the weather becomes warmer, newly infected cases dropped rapidly. The confidence in the vaccine as a cure around the world increases. Even though there were occasional deaths after vaccination, this should not deter people to receive the vaccine when available.

Italy has restricted 250,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to be sent to Australia. With practically minimal infection cases in Australia, the vaccination rollout in Australia is much slower than in other countries. We understand that there is a greater urgency for vaccines to be directed to countries like the US, UK and other European countries. The government is still confident that the vaccine rollout in Australia will be on time in October as Australia will be producing 1 million doses per week from late March.

With other countries started taking up vaccinations, the federal government is considering vaccination passport and other measures to allow international students to be back in Australia. The international education, hospitality and tourism industries all suffer a lot with a lockdown of Australia. It is also understandable that the economic rebound of Australia will be dependent on the reopening of the border.

One thing is clear that for the success of vaccination roll out in Australia, CALD communities cannot be left behind. It is believed that persuading ethnic communities the COVID-19 vaccine is safe will be critical in getting the jab into as many arms as possible.

The federal government wants to record a person’s place of birth and languages were spoken when they turn up to be vaccinated, or when they test positive for the illness. Eddie Micaleff from the Victorian Ethnic Communities Council says those requirements potentially could turn some people away so getting them on board will be important.

Now is the time that the governments should spend a greater effort to persuade the CALD communities to receive the vaccines.

Raymond Chow

Publisher, Blessing CALD