According to new research outlining how Australia has escaped repeated lockdowns, young Australians under the age of 40 are “super spreaders” of Covid-19, and they are bringing the virus home to their children and elderly parents.
The Prime Minister today released a report from the Doherty Institute, which supports the new 70% vaccination target set by the National Cabinet for the next phase of the Covid-19 response.
But one of the results of this study may include faster introduction of the vaccine to young Australians, because people in this age group are more mobile, more likely to work in important industries, and often spread the new coronavirus in the community.
The new study warns that although “young people are the peak spreader of COVID-19, the health effects of the elderly are the most serious”.
“If supply permits, extending eligibility to all adults (over 16 years of age) is the most likely to slow transmission,” the study noted.
Doherty Institute Professor Jodie McVernon said the key message is that immunization of young people should be a priority.
“This is a strategy that basically follows where we are now, but advances the immunization of people aged 30-39 to early September, and advances the immunization of people aged 16-29 to early October,” she said.
Although last month praised New South Wales Governor Gladys Berejiklian for resisting the blockade, the Prime Minister said he has now accepted the “game-changing” variant of Delta that requires a brief but severe blockade .
“People are taking action based on the advice and information they have,” he said.
“I mean, I’m glad that everyone else has perfect hindsight. No one in the world has complete hindsight on these issues.
“The Delta strain is a strain that we try to understand and learn, react and respond to. But what I want to tell you is that we all learn from these things humbly. We all learn from these things humbly. Then we Make adjustments and continue.”
Mr Morrison said that once most Australians are vaccinated, the hospitalization rate for the new coronavirus will be similar to that of the flu.
“In order to emphasize the point you made to us on multiple occasions, when you reduce it to 80%, death, hospitalization and infection rates are the flu and the like that you expect to see,” the prime minister said.
In the speech, the Doherty Institute stated that the risks are obvious.
“We have known this after looking around the world for 18 months. Yes, children will be infected with the new crown virus, and we are worried that they will be infected, but they are not as good as their parents,” she said.
“In this case, 20-39 years will be the peak period of transmission. They will bring the new crown virus to their children and parents.”
But Mr Morrison lashed out at the Labour Party’s proposal to provide each Australian fully vaccinated with a bonus of A$300.
The Morrison government today released a report from the Doherty Institute, which supports the National Cabinet’s recent decision to set Australia’s vaccination rate targets.
The study outlines that with outbreaks in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland in recent weeks, the state government can avoid short-term, severe lockdowns before reaching 70% of the vaccination target.
The Labour Party leader Anthony Albanese’s incentive plan will enable every Australian citizen who is fully vaccinated by December 1st to receive a cash payment of US$300.
“They will spend this money to create and support employment opportunities in local communities and support economic activities. Of course, given that we have seen in September, this may be negative due to these blockades in the September quarter. Businesses and workers are really doing it. Struggling,” he said.
“This pandemic has witnessed various one-off events. But the fact is that the government has two jobs this year, the launch of the vaccine and the national quarantine.”
related: $300 in cash is “insulting” to Australians
Earlier, Finance Minister Simon Birmingham slammed the Labor Party’s cash splatter plan to give every Australian vaccinated a $300 bonus, calling it an “insult”.
Although Labour Party leader Anthony Albanese called for new cash grants to increase vaccination rates this morning, the Morrison government flatly rejected the idea. This is the first time the idea has been considered and excluded.
Senator Birmingham told ABC TV: “No, we have seen it, and the evidence shows that it is unnecessary and impossible to work.”
“If you look at people in different age groups, in their 70s, we now have more than 79% of people in their 70s who received the first dose. So if you look closely at all Australians over 16 years old, you will find all 16-year-olds 41% of the above Australians have received the first dose of vaccine.
“From the reaction of the Australians, this is obviously unnecessary. They do want to get the vaccine. This is a couple of millions who are already doing the right thing, are planning to do the right thing and know very well why they can be vaccinated. It’s a bit insulting for Australians to protect themselves and the health of their fellow Australians.”
The incentive plan is stated in the National Cabinet that when 80% of Australians are vaccinated, an unspecified “reward” will be provided to the vaccinated during the launch of Phase B.
These incentives may include preventing fully vaccinated Australians from complying with the same stay-at-home order as unvaccinated or greater freedom to travel across states.
New South Wales Governor Gladys Berejiklian (Gladys Berejiklian) said that Sydneysiders may gain some “freedom” by the end of August, but only if more adults are vaccinated against Covid-19.
related: New restrictions on unvaccinated Australians
New South Wales Governor Gladys Berejiklian outlined the vaccination targets on August 29 to encourage more people to get vaccinated.
Ms. Berejiklian told reporters on Tuesday: “Please note that the more people vaccinated, the more likely we are to live freely after August 29.”
“We know that people value their freedom, their desire to return to work, and their desire to participate in community life.
“These are the types of incentives that we will focus on in the next period of time, so that our citizens have the opportunity to know that if they are vaccinated and their loved ones are vaccinated, then they will have the opportunity to gain greater freedom… “
