Health boss under fire over ‘dangerous’ claims that one jab is enough
The boss of Australia’s health department has come under fire for “dangerous” suggestions one coronavirus jab offers full protection against the disease.
Former Chief Medical Officer, now Health Secretary, Professor Brendan Murphy has ordered an audit into the intensive care capacity of our hospitals ahead of an expected explosion in Covid case loads. (Photo: ABC News: Luke Stephenson)
Brendan Murphy clarified his evidence after telling the Senate’s coronavirus response committee that one dose was akin to being fully vaccinated.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit dangerous for you to be sitting here saying ‘well one shot gives you protection’?” Labor senator and committee chair Katy Gallagher told the hearing in Canberra.
“Part of what we need to do here with the rollout is making sure people get two shots.”
Professor Murphy, who was chief health officer at the onset of the pandemic, said one dose was “fully protective” but needed to be topped up.
“Of course we want everyone to get two shots,” he said.
He dismissed concerns the government would not reach its original goal of offering all adults two doses by the end of October as a “semantic” argument.
“In practical terms, they are fully vaccinated because they’ve got that highly protective first dose,” Murphy said.
He said one dose “doesn’t last as long” and should be topped up.
The health chief denied he was providing political cover for the Morrison government’s lofty vaccination targets.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has pointed to two unpublished studies looking at the real-world effectiveness of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, which are being used in Australia.
In Scotland, a single dose of either prevented 85 to 94 per cent of coronavirus-related hospitalisation 28 to 34 days after vaccination.
Public Health England found people with a single dose aged over 70 were a 60 to 70 per cent lower risk of symptomatic infection 28 days after receiving the jab.
Updated advice on the AstraZeneca vaccine, which the vast majority of Australians will receive, recommended it is more effective with a 12-week gap than four weeks as initially advised.
Murphy said it was unlikely every adult would have the chance to receive two doses by the end of October.
“We don’t know whether we’ll be able to achieve two shots by October,” he told the committee on Thursday.
“All I’m saying is that with a 12-week interval it’s going to be difficult.”
