Despite more than 80 per cent of those aged 16 and over being fully vaccinated in Australia, an extreme anti-Covid group has called for new measures to reduce infection numbers to zero.
It comes as Covid-19 infections in NSW and Victoria continue to fall, despite the lockdowns easing over the past two months.
A Health Before Profits Australia (HBPA) Gofundme campaign raised enough money to pay for a full page newspaper ad over the weekend, advocating for strict conditions to tackle the pandemic.
Among the measures the group is calling for are: the vaccination of children down to six months old; a vaccination target of 90% of the entire population; and federal financial support based on a living wage for those required to stay at home.
More than 80 per cent of those aged 16 and over already fully vaccinated in Australia, but a health advocacy group is calling for new measures to combat Covid-19
Activists from HBPA, Zero Covid Australia and Zero Covid Schools, doctors and concerned citizens collaborated to publish the advertisement in The Saturday Paper arguing for prioritising public health in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia.
Duncan Hart, from HBPA said, ‘it has been one of the most distressing features of the pandemic, to see the Prime Minister, NSW and Victorian premiers encouraging people to accept preventable Covid deaths and who knows how many long-Covid cases while opening up without proper mitigation measures.’
Mr Hart said the group is aiming to both educate and pressure governments to do what is necessary to minimise the impact of the virus. ‘The measures outlined in the advertisement are simple, effective and scientifically proven to help reduce transmission,’ he said.
Dr David Berger, who helped write the ad, said: ‘What is the main purpose of a government if it is not to protect its people?’
A woman jumps off the boardwalk at foreshore in 30 degree heat as Melbournians hit the beach in St Kilda while 10,000 racegoers descended on Flemington Racecourse for the 2021 Melbourne Cup, taking place in a post-lockdown Melbourne
A Health Before Profits Australia Gofundme campaign raised enough money to pay for a full page newspaper ad
Revelers at a Melbourne Cup lunch enjoying freedoms in a post-lockdown Melbourne
Dr Berger said governments have put the Australian economy before the health of its people.
‘We must eliminate Covid, as we have eliminated every other serious infectious disease,’ he said.
Jayne Flanagan from Zero Covid Schools said children, teachers and their families have a right to maximum protection from Covid.
‘The best protection for schools is a vaccines plus strategy that targets elimination,’ she said.
HBPA says its campaign message is still urgent, despite Australia’s success at getting people vaccinated.
‘Without appropriate mitigation measures such as improving ventilation, masking, and paying people to stay home when they need to quarantine, Australia risks spiralling case numbers and needless death and suffering,’ the statement said.
HBPA has toned down its demands in recent months as New South Wales and Victoria have eased out of long lockdowns.
On August 31 the campaign issued a statement saying, in part, that ‘there are no plans, at all, about how to open schools safely … The Morrison plan to reopen the economy is premised on sacrificing children…’
It pointed out that, in general, children with Covid are less likely to have severe symptoms than adults, but said severe forms and consequences do happen.
‘Increasing cases of children with lingering fatigue and other chronic problems, not linked to the severity of initial symptoms, are reported. The literature shows schools are a sink of infectious diseases,’ it said.
In July it started a change.org petition to oppose schools being allowed to reopen. The petition had an aim of getting to 5,000 signatures, but as of October 8 only 2,660 have signed.
HBPA had far more success, however, in raising money to pay for its newspaper ad. It had a goal of $10,000, but so far has raised around $17,000.
In welcoming the funds to pay for the advertisement, the HBPA thanked its supporters and said the country’s vaccination level is ‘phenomenal’.
‘It is timely to remind the public that elimination of Covid-19 remains possible, particularly in the context of Australia’s phenomenal vaccine uptake,’ it said.
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