AFTER a year of learning to live with COVID-19, Australians now face the challenge of learning to live with the vaccine.
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After the first Australians to receive the vaccine got their jabs on Sunday, health authorities have begun the massive job of rolling out the vaccination program across the country.
By October we hope to have nearly the entire adult population vaccinated - an exciting prospect given what that potentially means for our return to normal living.
But of those who choose not to be vaccinated, and those who cannot be vaccinated due to pre-existing conditions?
Governments have already made it clear the COVID-19 vaccine will not be made mandatory for all citizens but what's less clear is what the implications might be for those who do not get the jab.
Will unvaccinated adults be excluded from certain pubs, clubs and restaurants?
Will unvaccinated children be turned away from childcare centres? What about schools?
Will having the vaccination be a requirement for anyone wanting to travel overseas, or anyone wanting to board a plane even for domestic travel?
Could employers and business owners be accused of not providing a safe workplace for customers and staff if not everyone is vaccinated?
These are just some of the questions already being asked and there are bound to be many more in the coming weeks and months. And none of the answers will be easy.
Many people also remained unconvinced the vaccines have yet been proven safe and it is up to health authorities to continue sharing their knowledge and research to help ease those concerns.
But our nation will do itself a great disservice if it allows itself to get bogged down at a time when we should be celebrating a great medical breakthrough.
Over the past year Australians have shown themselves, generally, to be willing to temporarily put aside some personal freedoms for the sake of the greater good.
Our overwhelming compliance with stay-at-home orders and social distancing was among the reasons Australia has emerged as well as it has from the COVID-19 pandemic when other countries have gone through - and are still going through - hell.
We've come so far, so well, but we need to keep going a little longer.
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