By Olivia Condous
Residents from across the northern and western suburbs of Melbourne are delaying their fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccination, according to health professionals working in the area.
Doctors have reported that some patients are putting off receiving the vaccine as they have heard that a better version, which is more targeted toward the dominant Omicron strain, is in development.
Health professionals have said while another vaccine is on the way, it won’t be available in Australia for many more months.
Altona North Medical Group GP Dr Mukesh Haikerwal said he’d observed that people’s will to get the vaccine had definitely “dropped off”.
“A whole bunch of people haven’t had their third jab at all, many of them are coming in positive now,” he said.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a provisional determination to Moderna and Pfizer to start approvals for an Omicron-specific vaccine earlier this year.
Dr Haikerwal acknowledged the development of a new vaccine was not cause for people to delay their vaccination, as the new version wouldn’t be available until at least the end of the year.
“If [people] are more than three months from their last jab, their immunity has dropped and it’s valuable to get that fourth jab in,” he said.
North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network chief executive Christopher Carter said that approving a new vaccine was a rigorous, time-consuming process and that people should not wait for it to be ready.
“It’s a long time to go without the maximum available protection, which you can get now, from your GP or pharmacist or vaccination centre, for free,” Mr Carter said.
It comes as Hume council called for residents to get their booster shots, with the city’s third dose rate 58.4 per cent, compared to the Victorian average of 69.4 per cent.
“Whether it is getting your third booster shot (ages 16+) or fourth winter dose (ages 30+) every shot helps to provide additional protection for our community, particularly to older and vulnerable community members,” council said in a statement.
Council has launched a vaccine awareness video which is screening at cinemas including Hoyts Broadmeadows, Reading Sunbury and United Cinemas Craigieburn, as well as on council’s social media channels.
