As you’ve surely heard by now, the COVID vaccine rollout in Australia has commenced and both AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are in the country. Myths surrounding the vaccine have been debunked, trypanophobes have been reassured and the rest of us have been told exactly how to prep for receiving the vaccine.
It seems like the end is nigh. But before we jump the gun (remember when places like the UK and the US thought lockdown would only last for two weeks?), here are a few things to keep in mind.
Reduce transmission where you can
Yep, that means wearing your mask when instructed to, using sanitiser when you touch surfaces outside your home and generally doing your best to keep risk low.
Follow your state or territories rules and restrictions — a full list of what they are (they do seem to change every other day) is available on HealthDirect.
Keep in mind that we’re coming into cold and flu season — and a lot of advice for coronavirus is applicable in terms of those seasonal sicknesses as well. If you do experience cold and flu symptoms — in particular, those that overlap with COVID symptoms – please get COVID tested. It may just end up being a common cold, but better safe than sorry.
And if you’re sick, don’t risk coming into work, or work from home instead.
Don’t get too lax
Australia, you’re doing amazing sweetie!
We’re doing a pretty fantastic job of keeping COVID under control, but unfortunately, there are still repercussions for when we get too lax. As someone who lives on the Northern Beaches, I’m still haunted by what happened last time we got too lax in our efforts…
Internationally, infections have risen for the first time in seven weeks, according to the World Health Organisation. Director-General of WHO, Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said it was too early for countries to rely solely on vaccination programs — so don’t abandon other measures.
Get vaccinated
If you’re not sure what phase you’re in for the vaccination rollout, the Department of Health has a handy interactive guide.
Although the majority of Australians are still waiting for the jab, the good news is that WHO has said the recent arrival of effective vaccines could at least help dramatically reduce hospitalisations and death.
In fact, the countries that have vaccinated the most people — which includes countries like Israel, the UK and America — have recorded declining COVID-19 related deaths and hospitalisations.
But before you go planning your worldwide tour, remember that WHO said it’s “premature” and “unrealistic” to think the pandemic might be stopped by the end of the year.
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