More vaccines than demand in NSW due to complacency, Deputy Premier warns

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro says he is deeply concerned about vaccine hesitancy in NSW, with more available doses than demand because people are complacent about receiving their jab.

Mr Barilaro warned that people across NSW are shunning vaccines because they believed that COVID-19 was no longer a threat in the state.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro says people in NSW are not ready to get their COVID-19 vaccine.Credit:James Alcock

“Right now here in NSW one of my greatest concerns is that people aren’t rolling up to get vaccinated … we have capacity and we have more vaccines than demand,” Mr Barilaro said.

“And that’s because in NSW we are living in a period of normal [because] the reality is there is no virus and there is complacency.”

Mr Barilaro said it was critical people eligible to be vaccinated speak to their GP about receiving it.

All Australians aged 50 and over are now eligible for the AstraZeneca vaccine at state-run vaccination clinics and Commonwealth GP-led respiratory clinics.

However, in NSW the people in that age group will be eligible for the AstraZeneca shot from May 17 at their GPs and then the following week at a purpose-built centre in western Sydney.

NSW’s mass vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park will open on May 10, but will not accept public bookings until May 24 to allow the booking system to be created and to follow the GP rollout.