❓ Hon Wilson Tucker questions the Premier's claim that border delays saved lives, seeking the basis for the assessment. The response details vaccination rates and Chief Health Officer advice on vaccine effectiveness against Omicron.
AnsweredQoN 76Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — INTERSTATE BORDER
RESTRICTIONS
76. Hon WILSON TUCKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
In response to the media questions about the delayed border
reopening, the Premier is quoted as having said that by delaying by months we
saved scores, if not hundreds, of lives.
(1) Was this assessment provided to the Premier or did he
make it up himself?
(2) What data was his assessment based on?
RESTRICTIONS
76. Hon WILSON TUCKER to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
In response to the media questions about the delayed border
reopening, the Premier is quoted as having said that by delaying by months we
saved scores, if not hundreds, of lives.
(1) Was this assessment provided to the Premier or did he
make it up himself?
(2) What data was his assessment based on?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(2)
If Western Australia proceeded on the original transition plan, which was
developed for the Delta variant, Western Australia's border would have
opened in full at the height of the east coast outbreak with low third-dose vaccination rates and low vaccination
rates among children. This would have resulted in hundreds or thousands
of cases entering the Western Australian community at once, which would have
spread significantly when WA's third dose vaccination rate was much
lower. On 20 January, when the decision was made to delay the full border
opening, Western Australia's third dose rate was about 25 per cent. We expect that the rate will now reach 70 per cent on
or around 3 March when Western Australia's border will now open.
As the Chief Health Officer has explained in his health advice dated 18
February 2022, the double dose vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation
with Omicron falls to about 52 per cent. In his advice, the Chief Health
Officer goes on to explain that the third dose increases vaccine effectiveness
against hospitalisation to 88 per cent. This clearly shows how giving Western Australians
more time and opportunity to get their third
dose, unlike other jurisdictions, means that hospitalisations will be
significantly lower compared with
opening borders when third-dose rates are much lower. By the nature of COVID-19
and the Omicron variant, particularly amongst older Western Australians, this
has saved hundreds of lives . It is also expected that by 3 March, 65 per
cent of children aged between five and 11 will have received their first dose. This puts Western Australia in a
strong position and allows for the safest transition possible .
(1)–(2)
If Western Australia proceeded on the original transition plan, which was
developed for the Delta variant, Western Australia's border would have
opened in full at the height of the east coast outbreak with low third-dose vaccination rates and low vaccination
rates among children. This would have resulted in hundreds or thousands
of cases entering the Western Australian community at once, which would have
spread significantly when WA's third dose vaccination rate was much
lower. On 20 January, when the decision was made to delay the full border
opening, Western Australia's third dose rate was about 25 per cent. We expect that the rate will now reach 70 per cent on
or around 3 March when Western Australia's border will now open.
As the Chief Health Officer has explained in his health advice dated 18
February 2022, the double dose vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation
with Omicron falls to about 52 per cent. In his advice, the Chief Health
Officer goes on to explain that the third dose increases vaccine effectiveness
against hospitalisation to 88 per cent. This clearly shows how giving Western Australians
more time and opportunity to get their third
dose, unlike other jurisdictions, means that hospitalisations will be
significantly lower compared with
opening borders when third-dose rates are much lower. By the nature of COVID-19
and the Omicron variant, particularly amongst older Western Australians, this
has saved hundreds of lives . It is also expected that by 3 March, 65 per
cent of children aged between five and 11 will have received their first dose. This puts Western Australia in a
strong position and allows for the safest transition possible .
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