Vaccination has become a particularly hot topic in Australia in recent weeks, with adequate coverage seen as the quickest way out of the ongoing lockdowns in New South Wales and Victoria.
More than half of the country’s population is currently on lockdown due to outbreaks that have focused on the country’s two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne.
After a sluggish start to the introduction of vaccines Down Under, the main focus is now on coverage rates. It is hoped that once 70 to 80 percent of the eligible population are vaccinated, lockdowns and restrictions at internal borders will no longer be necessary.
Currently, just over 30 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, while nearly 60 percent of eligible people have received their first dose.
How the next phase of the Australian National Plan for Additional Freedoms for Fully Vaccinated Individuals will be handled is another key issue.
Western Australia recently became the first state to mandate at least one vaccination dose for newcomers from New South Wales. And the country’s two major airlines, Qantas and Virgin Australia, both run incentive programs to promote vaccinations.
It is possible that compulsory vaccination will play a role in major events in the future, including sports, as is already the case in some other parts of the world.
Seamer, CEO of Supercars, says the series has no plans to make any organization staff, team members, or drivers mandatory.
“We briefed the teams on what we mean by state-to-state vaccination policy developments,” said Seamer.
Hidden Valley launch campaign
Photo by: Edge Photographics
“Make the teams understand that sitting here today who is vaccinated can be a challenge for a person who is not vaccinated.
“We certainly don’t prescribe any vaccinations. It’s a personal choice. But at the end of the day, it can affect people’s ability to attend and behave in events.
“We make the teams aware of this.”
The same will apply to fans as Supercars themselves do not require vaccination to participate, but warn that this could become mandatory at the Ministry of Health level.
“We will certainly not prescribe anything at supercars level [for fans]”Seamer said.” On this basis, we will work with the state governments.
Supercars is currently in an extended midseason thanks to these outbreaks in NSW and Victoria.
The season is set to continue on the first weekend in October in Winton, northern Victoria, although Seamer has already admitted that the date is “in question”.
A second major overhaul in the second half of the season is now inevitable, as the Bathurst 1000 is set to be the season finale in early December. That means the Gold Coast 500 is slated to be canceled for the second year in a row.
Supercars must hold at least five more events to fulfill its transferring agreement.
