Originally Posted by
Angle of Attack
Never heard of Valium, well I’ve heard of it but never taken it. Pfizer, AstraZeneca and presumably Moderna Vaccines have shown 100% efficacy in preventing serious disease and hospitalisation with COVID19. Now with a vaccinated population that pretty much makes Covid19 less dangerous than the common flu. In a good year high hundreds die in a bad year high thousands die from flu in Aus, Is McClown still going to close the borders if there is an outbreak of COVID? I think this is the question going into the future, politicians have made out this COVID is like AIDS times 10 when it isn’t. Shut the borders for Flu? Because the Flu was pretty much non existent last year it will come back with vengeance this year or next.
Well you’ve mostly answered your own question. There is a difference between a virus spreading unchecked through a naive population vs an immunised one. That’s what the health advice is based on. Just need the required number of vaccinations first.
So if Premiers are just going to keep borders closed forever then why are they all signing up to the National Vaccine strategy? Bit of a costly exercise if nothing will change huh?
There is a difference now between Covid and influenza, given there is a vaccine to the flu and a level of immunity in the population. The whole point of the vaccine program is to make Covid like the flu. Because there was a larger uptake of the flu vax last year (from about 20 to 70%) this caused the flu season to be substantially less (along with hand sanitising, awareness of illness and more isolation).
You won’t get any information right now from any government about a change to border policy because they have more pressing issues to deal with, although they’re now starting to be discussed at a higher level at national cabinet.
The WA Health Minister was asked about a change to border and quarantine policy on local radio recently and said the vaccinations will change the requirements around quarantine at some point in the future, but that will come after sorting out distribution and supply of the vaccine, and encouraging people to take it.