Another thing to be grateful for ...

I began this morning, enjoying a hearty breakfast on my back deck. Although this autumn is cooler than the last, I was blessed with the warmth of the early sunshine. I felt it on my skin, and breathed it deeply into my heart and lungs.

But, there is something for which I'm grateful, that is the product of many dedicated scientists who have expertise far beyond my comprehension.

Knowing how hard it is for scientists to get funding for research, how difficult it is to get findings published, how competitive research can be, and how many years it takes before findings influence medical practice, I am amazed at the availability of COVID vaccines.

It's a testament to the collaboration of many of the world's best, working together to find a way forward out of this crisis. They would not have done so, without the financial backing of many of the world's most powerful nations.

I'm really feeling for the people of India, who don't have access to the vaccine. We, in Australia, should not take it for granted.

If you're unsure about getting the vaccine, let me sway you ... the risk of side effects from the vaccines is less than the risk of getting the virus. If you think you won't get the virus because Australia has been so lucky, think again. We've taken a hard line, and we took it early. Our quarantine system is harsh, and it is still in operation. Yet, people are ignoring all the things that protect us - hand hygiene, physical distancing and wearing a mask in crowded places.

Once our borders open up, what guarantee do you have that an inbound traveller won't carry the virus and infect you or your family?

Look, I have faith that the people who contributed to the vaccines have put their all into it - they've left nothing in the tank. They've applied everything that they know, they've listened to each other and argued for and against all the options possible. I trust their expertise, their sense of vocation, their dedication to the cause.

And that's why, today, I took advantage of the vaccine offered to me. How lucky am I?

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