Vaccine rollout not going well, say most Australians

Almost two-thirds of adult Australians, 64 per cent, think the Government's COVID-19 vaccine rollout is not being handled well, a study from The Australian National University (ANU) shows. The study also found there's been a small decline in the proportion of people who would not take a safe and effective vaccine, though many Australians remain highly concerned about potential side effects. The study, led by the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, also found 33 per cent of Australians thought the way vaccines were being rolled out was very fair, alongside 53 per cent who said it was somewhat fair.   - "These findings are extremely important as the Government attempts to reconcile public sentiment and confidence in its vaccine program at a time when there are questions about how fast it is being delivered across our community," study co-author Professor Biddle said. Professor Nicholas Biddle noted the study's findings showed clear divisions in people's attitudes to the vaccine rollout based on political views.   - "Those who had said they would vote for a party grouping other than the Coalition were less likely to think the process was going well," Professor Biddle said. "While still under half of the population, 45.3 per cent of those who said they would vote for the Coalition said the vaccine process was going well.