Hundreds of people continue to die due to COVID-related complications and the medical community stresses the importance of a fourth dose of the COVID vaccination for those eligible, especially the elderly. The elderly are dying at a higher rate than ever, according to an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday.
A high number of COVID-related deaths occur more frequently in the aged care homes in Victoria, specifically in the Greek community, where the vaccination rate remains low, according to geriatrician Associate Professor Michael Murray.
Prof Murray raised the alarm that hundreds are dying every month and said the community isn’t aware, “it’s disappeared from the headlines” he says.
“This is somebody’s mother, grandmother and somebody’s relative, so of course it’s very distressing for the individual and their family.”
Prof Murray said that some of the Greek elderly who died were not vaccinated due to their personal beliefs about the COVID vaccination and others were advised by their adult children not to get vaccinated.
He said to Neos Kosmos how important it is to reach out to the CALD communities to ensure all have access to information regarding vaccination and are able to make an informed choice. Prof Murray stressed that he himself has reached out to key groups within the Greek community, as he believes that it is only through them that communication can be effective.
Fronditha care, which is the largest aged care organisation for the elderly Greeks in Victoria, responded to Neos Kosmos that their experience was very different to Prof Murray’s. “More than 85% of our elderly residents in our 5 aged care homes have been vaccinated, many of who have also received the fourth dose.”
The organisation’s CEO, Faye Spiteri adds that the “early vaccination of residents has also led to better and faster response to outbreaks of infection, and everyone has understood that vaccines can be life-saving.” She says that though the vast majority of those who died with COVID were not vaccinated, we must not forget that most people in nursing homes have other diseases so they are more vulnerable to dangerous viruses.
There were 1906 deaths from COVID-19 nationally in aged care between January 1 and June 24, compared to 686 during 2020 and 231 in 2021.
More than 70 percent of coronavirus deaths reported in Victoria in the last six months were among people who had not had their third dose of the vaccine.
Only 3 per cent of those who died had been immunised with their fourth dose.
Dr Murray says that the rise in the death toll is the price we are paying for opening up, for not being careful enough to prevent transmission, for not getting vaccinated and not getting our third and fourth dose of the vaccine.
Another vulnerable cohort are the immunocompromised who are getting infected and admitted to the ICUs.
Currently only those aged 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aged 50 and over and those with conditions that increase the risk of severe illness are eligible for a fourth “winter” dose.
Greek Australian GP and member of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ quality care expert committee, Dr Magdalena Simonis, said to Neos Kosmos that many people from the general population are also anxious about getting the fourth dose of the vaccine, despite not being eligible.
Most people, she said, will have had their third dose more than three months ago, so their concerns are valid.
“But at this stage, what the evidence shows, is that if you have no underlying disease, no predisposing comorbidities, and you are under the age of 65, the efficacy, and protection from the three doses is very, very high. It does start to wane at the six month mark but at three to four months, you’re still pretty well covered, to a large extent.”
Dr Simonis added that the existing supplies that we have are reserved for those eligible for the fourth dose. “And we’ve just increased that group to include people under the age of 65, who are on medication for diabetes mellitus, for instance, those who have autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue diseases and inflammatory bowel disease. So from that perspective, that’s a large proportion of the population.”
There are of course those who don’t fit into a particular category, Dr Simonis said. But they still have other predisposing factors. The GP advised that it is a conversation they should have with their GP.
“There’s no reason for anyone to panic. It is mostly about getting those elderly protected, really, and getting them vaccinated. And we should be really proud of our effort, both the Greek community and the community at large. Because the death rates in proportion to the tens of thousands of people exposed, is really small. And that’s because of the vaccine rates.”
Dr Simonis is most concerned about the record-low rates of the flu vaccination in the community and amongst the elderly.
“We’ve got to consider that the flu is also prevalent, so when we’re talking about COVID, we must consider the risk of the flu” Dr Simonis said to Neos Kosmos.
Many people are refusing to have the flu vaccine, Dr Simonis said. “They feel that they’ve already had three or four vaccinations [against COVID], particularly the elderly who are refusing to have the flu vaccine, which renders them even more vulnerable if exposed.”
“We need to be encourage them to have their flu vaccine,” said the GP, “along with their third or fourth dose of the COVID vaccine, regardless of the age but especially the elderly.”
“I’m seeing flu a lot and in young people, too, and I’m concerned that patients are refusing to have the flu shot. We are winning with one, and losing with the other. I think we’ve got the lowest flu vaccination rates that we’ve had in a decade or so. And that’s why the government’s really pushing it.”