Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s unscripted slip of the tongue at a press conference last week led to days of chaos between state premiers, chief health officers and medical bodies about who exactly could and should get the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“The advice does not preclude persons under 60 from getting the AstraZeneca vaccine. And so if you wish to get the AstraZeneca vaccine, then we would encourage you to ah, go and have that discussion with your GP,” Morrison said.
But those words also offered a glimmer of hope to young Australians. For months we’ve been desperate to get vaccinated. For months we’ve assumed our own vaccinations would have to wait as a sluggish rollout struggled to reach those most at risk. And for months we’ve watched some of those eligible for AstraZeneca dither, happy to wait it out until their choice of vaccine becomes available.