Australia’s COVID vaccine roll-out started slowly, with supply shortages and logistical shortcomings. Once it got going, we immunised more than 95% of the population. This week’s COVID inquiry report contains a number of recommendations to improve Australia’s vaccine preparedness the next time we face a pandemic or health emergency.
While the inquiry gets most things right, as vaccine experts, we argue the government response should be broadened in three areas: expanding compensation programs for people who suffer any type of vaccine injury better understanding why people aren’t up-to-date with their vaccinations equipping community helpers in marginalised communities to deliver information about vaccines and combat misinformation. Australians should be compensated after vaccine injuries – not just during pandemics The inquiry recommends reviewing Australia’s COVID vaccine claims scheme in the next 12 to 18 months, to inform future schemes in national health emergencies. Early in the pandemic, vaccine experts called on the Australian government to establish a COVID vaccine injury compensation scheme.
This meant people who were injured after suffering a rare but serious injury, or the families of those who died, would receive compensation when there had been no fault in the manufacturing or administration of the vaccine. Vaccine experts recommended the creation of such a scheme based on the principle of reciprocity. The Australian public was asked to accept the rec.