Switch Off Social Media & Switch on to Your GP

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is calling for patients to switch off social media and turn to their GP for vaccine information.

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The call comes at a time when GPs across Australia are working hard on the twin rollouts of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. General practice and primary care have now passed the 1 million milestone for COVID-19 vaccinations.

“General practice passing the 1 million milestone for COVID-19 vaccinations is a historic achievement. We should be celebrating it and thanking those on the frontline and the patients who’ve come forward and put their hand up to protect themselves and their community,” said RACGP President Dr Karen Price.

“However, we know that rapidly circulating misinformation about vaccinations, particularly on social media, remains a serious threat to our community. We can and must all do our bit to fight misinformation about vaccines.”

Dr Price says that vaccine hesitancy sees patients in Australia succumbing to diseases we shouldn’t need to deal with in 2021. We have readily available measles vaccines, yet in 2019 some 286 measles cases were notified – nearly three times higher than the previous year.

“I strongly encourage patients who are feeling uncertain about vaccinations to turn to their GP. Your GP will give you expert medical advice that’s personalised, according to your unique health history, any current concerns, or medications,” she said.

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there, so please don’t hesitate to ask us if you have any concerns. No question is wrong.”

Patients can check when they are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and see if their usual general practice is delivering COVID-19 vaccinations in the Government’s Vaccine Eligibility Checker, online at https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au.

Patients should contact their usual general practice about receiving a flu vaccine. Many practices will alert patients when flu vaccines are available, and patients should check their regular clinic’s website.

The annual influenza vaccine is recommended for all patients over 6-months to prevent influenza. For those aged over 65, the adjuvanted influenza vaccine, Fluad® Quad, is recommended over the standard influenza vaccine.

The influenza vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine should be administered at least 14-days apart, as per advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. The AstraZeneca vaccine should be administered in two doses, with a recommended interval of 12 weeks between doses.