42% of the world’s population has been fully vaccinated with 7.60 billion first doses given—with access being the major problem. Not everything is equal here either with wide disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous vaccinated people.

Your community station, Radio Mama, has made it a priority to get our communities vaccinated and been on vaccination drives to prevent infection rates like we have seen in other parts of the country.

We want to help stop the spread of not only COVID-19 but also the misinformation leading to vaccine hesitancy and people being afraid of the jab or rejecting the vaccine altogether.

We interviewed some of our community at the Bundiyarra site of Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS)—Lisa Collard, Nadine Taylor, Tyron Merritt, Jr Derrick Councillor, Steven Kelly, Zain Laudehr, Heather Corbet, Denzel Quartermaine, Prischelle Woodley, Rosalie Jones, Danah Merritt, Alicia Horsman—to understand their reasons for getting the jab.

Some of the reasons were:

  • to look after our community including elders and grandparents,
  • to protect family and friends,
  • for all vulnerable people in our communities,
  • to prevent future infection and to slow down the rate of infection if it returns,
  • to fulfil healthcare work mandates when there will be contact with elderly people,
  • because Aboriginal people over East passed away from COVID-19,
  • to prolong life and to not die,
  • to return to normal life,
  • not wanting to bring it back to family from travel,
  • and perhaps, the most common and broadest reason—to be safe.

Why we got the vaccine

Quotes from the video:

In the words of Zain Laudehr: “Don’t be afraid. Get it done. It’s for our people to keep us safe.”

and also Nadine Taylor: “If it’s not for yourself, to protect yourself, just protect your children, your Elders, and the wider community that haven’t got the strength to protect themselves from this germ.

Like Lisa Collard reminds us: “Book in now for your vaccinations at GRAMS, your GP, pharmacies and local AMSes.”

“Protect yourself. Protect your family. Protect the community. Together we can do it.”

Lisa Collard