CORONAVIRUS — VACCINATIONS — ADVERSE
EFFECTS
408. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Health:
In correspondence late last year,
the Western Australian Chief Health Officer reported that the Western Australia
Vaccine Safety Advisory Committee had advised that because of the vaccine
rollout, there had been a marked increase in patients who had experienced
adverse events following immunisation against COVID-19. Dr Robertson went on to
say that ''some severe and serious adverse effects had not been reported
via the appropriate channels''. The minister has also attacked me personally
over comments I made on the adverse effects of the COVID-19 immunisation to the
Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs, calling me alarmist and
dangerous.
(1) Can the
minister confirm to the house the true number of patients who have had adverse
reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine since the rollout began?
(2) How can the
public have confidence in the figures from the Department of Health when we
know that they have been misreported for some time?
(3) Will the
minister apologise and withdraw her comments about me, given that some of the
serious concerns I have put forward have now become painfully true?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
(1)–(2) The referenced correspondence from the Chief
Health Officer was a reminder of the reporting requirements for health
professionals. Health professionals have a statutory responsibility to report
all adverse events following vaccination within 72 hours of diagnosis, as
specified in the Public Health Act 2016 and the Public Health Regulations 2017.
Adverse events following immunisation are reported to WA Health by health
professionals or the public through the Western Australian Vaccine Safety
Surveillance System's online portal.
The correspondence that the member
has referred to in her question appears to have been misquoted. According to my
notes, the letter reads in part: ''The recent national COVID-19
vaccination program rollout has resulted in an increase in awareness of
patients who have experienced a potential adverse event following immunisation.
The Western Australian Vaccine Safety Advisory Committee has recognised that
some severe and serious AEFIs have not been reported via the appropriate
channels.'' Reasons why the actual
number of adverse events following immunisation are not reported include, but are
not limited to: clients not seeking medical attention for an adverse
reaction; clients not being aware that they should seek medical attention for a
reaction; and clients not advising their doctor or doctors that they have
received a vaccination within a recent time frame.
(3) No. COVID-19 vaccinations are safe and save lives.
I again reiterate that this type of serious misinformation is concerning and potentially dangerous, and
constituents reasonably expect their parliamentary representatives to
deal in fact and truth.