(Kevin Nguyen’s article from the ABC NEWS Australia on June-28, 2021.)
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| You're kidding yourself if you don't get Vaccinated. |
The highly contagious Delta strain of COVID-19
infected everyone who attended a Sydney birthday party except for the six
people who were vaccinated, the NSW Government said.
The West Hoxton party — described as a "super spreader" event — has become one of the most significant transmission events in the NSW breakout with 24 of the 30 attendees, and many of their household contacts, all testing positive for COVID-19.
The virus would
have had a near 100 per cent transmission rate were it not for six people who
attended the party who had already received a jab. "To emphasise just how
important vaccinations are … not one of those 24 people were vaccinated,"
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said today.
"I can also
advise that six health workers who attended the party, who were fully
vaccinated, not one of those people has been infected." Mr Hazzard said
there was also an aged care worker at the event who received their first dose
who also did not contract the virus.
"Obviously,
it's an unfolding situation … but the early and strong indication from that
party are if you're vaccinated you are much more likely to not be infected with
COVID-19. Short message is, get vaccinated."
Premier Gladys
Berejiklian re-emphasised the COVID-19 vaccine was crucial for NSW returning to
normal life. The Premier said vaccinations had been "holding up very
well" against this variant despite the state recording 130 cases since
June 16.
"What we do
know is that the vaccine is effective in preventing people from acquiring
serious illness," Ms Berejiklian said. People who are vaccinated are still
subjected to lockdown orders, with the Premier stating getting the jab
"doesn't mean you won't get it or won't pass it on".
Ms Bereijklian
rebuked suggestions of widespread vaccine hesitancy in NSW, pointing to huge
numbers of people registering their interest to get their first dose. For this
reason, the Premier declined to provide "incentives" like in the
United States where private businesses and governments offer free beer and
events to the vaccinated.
"Until we
have enough vaccines for everybody who wants a vaccine to take it, it is not
fair to have incentives," she said. "A lot of people want the vaccine
but they don't have access to it yet." The Premier said more doses would
be made available in "the next few weeks".
NSW Health administered 10,652 COVID-19 vaccines in the 24 hours to 8:00pm last night, including 5,540 at the mass vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park. More than 2,125,175 people in NSW have now been vaccinated.
