Special Episode 3. COVID-19 Vaccines with Professor Tony Cunningham

As the Covid pandemic continues to spread around the world with over 187 million recorded infections and 4 million deaths, countries including Australia have embarked upon vaccination programs including the use of mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna), viral vector (Astra Zeneca), and subunit protein vaccines (Novovax).

In Australia currently, less than 10% of our population have been fully vaccinated leaving our population exposed and subject to repeat widespread population lockdowns and contact tracing via local health departments.

Hesitancy to receive vaccination in part relates to perceived side-effects from vaccines as much as from difficulties relating to supply delivery.

In this episode, we are joined by Professor Tony Cunningham, Infectious disease physician and co-director of the Centre for virus research at WIMR who generously discusses vaccine side-effects including vaccine-induced thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (VITT), myocarditis and pericarditis as well as anaphylaxis. In this conversation, we delve into some very interesting aspects of vaccination and speculate on how the future may look for us all.

Please welcome Professor Tony Cunningham.

References include :

Australian Government Department of Health - joint statement from ATAGI and THANZ on thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome and the use of COVID-19 vaccine Astrazeneca (23rd May 21 ) The ATAGI statement on revised recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccine Astrazeneca (17 June 2021) Professor Tony Cunningham, www.westmead institute .org.au

To be a guest on the show or provide some feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au

Dr Luke Crantock MBBS, FRACP, is a gastroenterologist in practice for over 25 years. He is the founder of The Centre for GI Health, based in Melbourne Australia and is passionate about educating General Practitioners and patients on disease prevention and how to manage and improve their digestive health.