Falling jab rates raise concerns

Vaccination coverage rates among children in Australia have declined for the third consecutive year according to the latest annual vaccination report from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.

Vaccines save lives

The chance of living one more year is up to 44 per cent more likely thanks to the past 50 years of vaccines, according to new research. But global drops in vaccine coverage pose a risk to further progress.

Australia can step up as a vaccine manufacturer

Australia “could and should” set itself up to supply not only itself but the region with all future vaccine
and essential drug needs, according to the authors of a Perspective published by the Medical Journal of Australia.

Planet vaccine

In the developing world, in many instances, there are simply not enough vaccine shots available to vaccinate everyone. Wealthy nations have a moral obligation to developing countries to ensure they have access to vaccines.

Updating vaccines for omicron

How can scientists update coronavirus vaccines for the new omicron variant? A microbiologist answers 5 questions about how Moderna and Pfizer could rapidly adjust their mRNA vaccines.

Opening up at 80% vaccinations may come with a price

A team modelling the reduction of COVID-19 restrictions after 80 per cent of the adult population is vaccinated is warning that threshold is not high enough, in contrast to the Doherty model the government’s vaccination targets are based on.

Vaccine thresholds raise the danger of repeating past mistakes

Australia could again fall into the trap of false economies by opening up too soon when vaccine rates hit 70 or 80% and allowing the COVID vaccine to run rampant.

‘Nudging’ people to get vaccinated

Too much of our discussion about vaccine hesitancy has been imagining the problem in rational terms, but perceptions about COVID-19 and vaccines are driven by emotion, not reason and the more we factor that emotion in, the better our responses will be.

Vaccine passports v mandatory jabs

As the nation proceeds – but still at an agonisingly slow pace – towards the targets of having 70% and 80% of those 16 and over fully vaccinated, the next big debate is about making the jab compulsory in workplaces.

Understanding Australia’s vaccine debacle

Is the Morrison government’s COVID vaccination rollout program one of Australia’s biggest ever public policy failures?

May cause side effects

A UNSW researcher says a positive social media campaign could help to counter misinformation and fears about COVID vaccine side effects and boost vaccination uptake.

Growing public support for compulsory vaccines

New research has found widespread support among Australians for mandating COVID-19 vaccinations to protect vulnerable populations and speed the return to normality.