Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Oct 30, 2024 3:10:37 GMT
COVID inquiry finds vaccine ‘strollout’ cost lives, eroded trust - Published Oct 29, 2024
By Shane Wright and Natassia Chrysanthos
The Morrison government’s delays procuring COVID-19 vaccines cost lives and delivered a $31 billion hit to the economy, while Australians have lost trust in government and the health system is still struggling, the first wide-ranging inquiry into the national response to the virus has found.
The report, released on Tuesday afternoon, revealed more than $210 billion in federal government stimulus aimed at protecting the economy amplified the inflation pressures still working their way through the country.
Almost five years later, it said children were still suffering from mental health and academic consequences school closures, people are now more reluctant to receive vaccines, families experienced higher levels of domestic violence, and elective surgery backlogs still plague hospitals.
The year-long inquiry, compiled by senior public servant Robyn Kruk, experienced economist Angela Jackson and infectious disease expert Catherine Bennett, found Australia had done very well in handling the pandemic.
They said it had fared well compared to other countries that experienced larger loss of life, health system collapse and more severe economic downturns.
But there could have been less collateral damage. A new Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC)CDC, which the Albanese government on Tuesday said would be operating by 2026, was central to their recommendations for evidence-based approaches that build trust in the future.
The final 868-page report referenced the word trust on more than 330 occasions.
“Trust has … been eroded,” the conclusion said.
“Many of the measures taken during COVID‑19 are unlikely to be accepted by the population again… We must plan a response based on the Australia we are today, not the Australia we were before the pandemic.”
It said the CDC, which will receive $252 million in funding, would strengthen the country’s resilience and preparedness as it provided national coordination for future responses.
Some of the report’s most specific criticism was around the delays in procuring vaccines to protect the community.
It found this delayed the vaccine rollout that itself contributed to an increase in COVID-19 deaths as the Omicron variant swept through the country at the end of 2021.
“This meant our staged reopening occurred months later than it otherwise could have, with a direct economic cost estimated at $31 billion,” it found.
“There were also unforeseen health consequences to this timing, because it meant we transitioned to ‘living with COVID-19’ as the Omicron variants became prevalent in the community.
“This led to our highest ever number of case numbers and deaths from COVID-19, particularly among vulnerable populations and groups less likely or as yet unable to be vaccinated.”
The report found that JobKeeper, while being pivotal to the government’s economic response, led to “necessary compromises” in design that ultimately reduced value for money for taxpayers.
It said the total spending, including in the final Morrison government budget of March 2022-23, contributed to the inflation pressures that are still plaguing the economy.
“With the benefit of hindsight, there was excessive fiscal and monetary policy stimulus provided throughout 2021 and 2022, especially in the construction sector,” it found.
“Combined with supply side disruptions, this contributed to inflationary pressures coming out of the pandemic.”
While the Reserve Bank has reviewed its key stimulus measures put in place during the pandemic, there has not been work done by the federal government apart from an early Treasury report into JobKeeper.
The report recommended the government review the $32 billion cash flow boost to employers, HomeBuilder, the pandemic leave disaster payment, the coronarivus supplement and the early release of superannuation.
The superannuation policy, the report said, should not be used again.
“Blanket early access to superannuation was not an appropriate policy response, and in future existing financial hardship processes should be relied upon instead,” it found.
By Shane Wright and Natassia Chrysanthos
The Morrison government’s delays procuring COVID-19 vaccines cost lives and delivered a $31 billion hit to the economy, while Australians have lost trust in government and the health system is still struggling, the first wide-ranging inquiry into the national response to the virus has found.
The report, released on Tuesday afternoon, revealed more than $210 billion in federal government stimulus aimed at protecting the economy amplified the inflation pressures still working their way through the country.
Almost five years later, it said children were still suffering from mental health and academic consequences school closures, people are now more reluctant to receive vaccines, families experienced higher levels of domestic violence, and elective surgery backlogs still plague hospitals.
The year-long inquiry, compiled by senior public servant Robyn Kruk, experienced economist Angela Jackson and infectious disease expert Catherine Bennett, found Australia had done very well in handling the pandemic.
They said it had fared well compared to other countries that experienced larger loss of life, health system collapse and more severe economic downturns.
But there could have been less collateral damage. A new Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC)CDC, which the Albanese government on Tuesday said would be operating by 2026, was central to their recommendations for evidence-based approaches that build trust in the future.
The final 868-page report referenced the word trust on more than 330 occasions.
“Trust has … been eroded,” the conclusion said.
“Many of the measures taken during COVID‑19 are unlikely to be accepted by the population again… We must plan a response based on the Australia we are today, not the Australia we were before the pandemic.”
It said the CDC, which will receive $252 million in funding, would strengthen the country’s resilience and preparedness as it provided national coordination for future responses.
Some of the report’s most specific criticism was around the delays in procuring vaccines to protect the community.
It found this delayed the vaccine rollout that itself contributed to an increase in COVID-19 deaths as the Omicron variant swept through the country at the end of 2021.
“This meant our staged reopening occurred months later than it otherwise could have, with a direct economic cost estimated at $31 billion,” it found.
“There were also unforeseen health consequences to this timing, because it meant we transitioned to ‘living with COVID-19’ as the Omicron variants became prevalent in the community.
“This led to our highest ever number of case numbers and deaths from COVID-19, particularly among vulnerable populations and groups less likely or as yet unable to be vaccinated.”
The report found that JobKeeper, while being pivotal to the government’s economic response, led to “necessary compromises” in design that ultimately reduced value for money for taxpayers.
It said the total spending, including in the final Morrison government budget of March 2022-23, contributed to the inflation pressures that are still plaguing the economy.
“With the benefit of hindsight, there was excessive fiscal and monetary policy stimulus provided throughout 2021 and 2022, especially in the construction sector,” it found.
“Combined with supply side disruptions, this contributed to inflationary pressures coming out of the pandemic.”
While the Reserve Bank has reviewed its key stimulus measures put in place during the pandemic, there has not been work done by the federal government apart from an early Treasury report into JobKeeper.
The report recommended the government review the $32 billion cash flow boost to employers, HomeBuilder, the pandemic leave disaster payment, the coronarivus supplement and the early release of superannuation.
The superannuation policy, the report said, should not be used again.
“Blanket early access to superannuation was not an appropriate policy response, and in future existing financial hardship processes should be relied upon instead,” it found.