NO JAB, NO ENTRY: Unvaccinated Aussies 'to be blocked from major events'
Sports fans may soon be required to carry a Covid vaccination passport if they want to cheer on their favourite teams in the future.
Venues NSW chairman Tony Shepherd told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that such a system would be the only way to safely bring NRL, AFL and cricket fans back into stadiums.
He said people should be given a reasonable amount of time to get their jab.
“However it’s then a case of, if you haven’t been vaccinated, you can’t come,” Mr Shepherd said.
“If you choose not to have the jab that is your civil right in a free country but the Delta strain is extremely transmissible and we need to do something to reopen our stadiums.
“The venues will have to say you can’t attend. Simple as that. Getting crowds back to sport is important but we can’t put fans at risk.”
Mr Shepherd said he believed requiring vaccinations for sports fans will be “a tremendous incentive for people to get vaccinated.”
He said he will seek government approval for his plan over the next few weeks.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Victorian officials are also considering a similar proposal.
NSW’s current Covid outbreak and lockdown forced 13 NRL teams to relocate to Queensland last month.
However, chaos once again erupted after a mystery Delta outbreak in Queensland forced 11 LGAs including Brisbane and the Gold Coast into a snap lockdown on Saturday.
AstraZeneca vaccine is 'making a comeback'
The AstraZeneca vaccine is "making a comeback" according to Scott Morrison.
On Friday, state and territory leaders gave their in-principle agreement to a national plan that would see border restrictions ease and city-wide lockdowns unlikely once Australia reached a full vaccination rate of 70 per cent.
About 18 per cent of Australians have been fully vaccinated.
The AZ jab is necessary for the country to reach vaccination rates of 70 per cent and above, Mr Morrison said.
He told 2GB radio in Sydney on Saturday that AstraZeneca has been "talked down for a long time" but the jabs are especially vital in greater Sydney, as the city deals with a worsening outbreak and prolonged lockdown.
The AZ jab has not been the preferred option for people under 50 due to a very rare blood clot side effect.
Mr Morrison has promised enough vaccines for the country to reach 70 per cent full coverage by Christmas.
According to the plan agreed to on Friday, when the rate of fully vaccinated Australians reaches 70 per cent, lockdowns will be unlikely, and at 80 per cent city-wide lockdowns are expected to end.
Fully vaccinated residents will be exempt from all domestic restrictions while caps on returning Australians will be abolished.
People who have received both jabs will be allowed to travel overseas and travellers from countries with high vaccination rates will be given the green light to enter.
With AAP
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