KIIS FM radio host Kyle Sandilands has said he is considering a ‘no jab, no job’ policy at his workplace once the Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out across Australia.
During a discussion about the coronavirus vaccine on Monday, he said all staffers at The Kyle and Jackie O Show must get the shot once it’s available or face the sack – but he may have simply been joking.
He issued the office-wide edict after his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson expressed concerns about the vaccine.
Laying down the law: KIIS FM radio host Kyle Sandilands has said he is considering a ‘no jab, no job’ policy at his workplace once the Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out across Australia
Henderson, 46, said she thought the vaccine seemed ‘a bit rushed’, but stressed she ‘is not an anti-vaxxer at all’.
Sandilands, 49, gently corrected Henderson, pointing out that the bureaucracy of vaccine development had been fast-tracked, not the science and safety testing.
‘It’s the bulls**t of waiting around through all the processes and paperwork. That’s been rushed,’ he said.
Hesitant: He issued the office-wide edict – which may have been a joke – after his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson (pictured) expressed concerns about the vaccine
KIIS FM newsreader Brooklyn Ross also noted the Covid-19 vaccine was the result of scientists from many countries working together with enormous financial support.
‘Jackie, what the difference is this time around is, like, the whole world just said, “We need a vaccine,” and so much money has gone into it and that gave them the ability to do more trials quickly,’ Ross said.
‘Without money, you can’t do that, so that’s what helped it.’
Henderson, who still wasn’t convinced, then asked her colleagues if any of them were still ‘a little bit unsure’.
Hmm! During a discussion about the coronavirus vaccine on Monday, Sandilands said all staffers at The Kyle and Jackie O Show must get the shot once it’s available. Pictured with co-host Henderson (right) and KIIS FM newsreader Brooklyn Ross (centre)
She asked ‘Will you all get it?’ and several staff members said without hesitation they would get the jab once it’s available.
Sandilands said: ‘The second I can get it. I’ve even got an elastic band around my arm now. I’m ready to go. Shoot me up, baby!’
The only employee who said they wouldn’t be getting the vaccine straight away was senior producer Pedro Vitola, who by his own admission is ‘into conspiracies’.
‘If you don’t get it, you’re out,’ Sandilands snapped in response. ‘No jab, no job.’
Henderson laughed off her colleague’s remark, but it’s unclear if Sandilands was serious or simply joking about a ‘no jab, no job’ policy at KIIS FM.
His view: The only employee who said they wouldn’t be getting the vaccine straight away was senior producer Pedro Vitola (pictured), who by his own admission is ‘into conspiracies’
Henderson said that many Australians have a ‘wait and see’ attitude to the vaccine – that is to say, they plan to wait until others have had it first to make sure it’s safe.
However, Covid-19 vaccines have already been found to be safe and effective, and millions of people in countries like Britain and the U.S. have already received the jab.
When Ross reminded Henderson of the vaccine rollout in other countries, she seemed to be reassured.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Henderson’s manager for clarification on her views regarding vaccination.
Australia’s first 80,000 does of the Covid Pfizer vaccine are about to arrive in the country, with hospitals on standby to start delivering jabs next week.
Leading epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely told the Today show on Monday he had heard the vaccine was on its way to Australian shores.
A delicate operation will be undertaken to transport the vaccine, with the doses arriving under tight security from Belgium.
Government sources told The Australian the doses would arrive in Australia within 48 hours from Sunday night – so on Monday or Tuesday.
Hospitals were told to prepare to start vaccinations next week, after the Therapeutic Goods Administration conducts batch testing on some of the first vials.
The vaccines will undergo that final stage of testing to ensure they are safe before being rolled out to vulnerable residents later this month.
‘Commencement of vaccinations – subject to arrival, quality and temperature controls – will take place in the last week of February,’ Health Minister Greg Hunt said.
Australia has secured 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which is enough to vaccinate 10 million people.
The vaccines must be kept at minus-70°C to preserve the mRNA responsible for inducing coronavirus immunity.
Distribution firms with specialist experience in cold logistics have been contracted to handle the doses, which will arrive in batches of 5,000 per shipping container.
The dry-ice filled boxes have been fitted with thermal sensors which will send messages to a central control tower if they drop below the required temperature.
First in line to receive the jab are the elderly, vulnerable, frontline health workers, hotel quarantine staff, as well as aged and disability workers and residents.
Mr Hunt said the Morrison Government will not decide on an official date for the first round of jabs until the doses are in the country but hospitals have been told to be on standby to started delivering vaccinations
Other Australians over the age of 16 will be then be ranked by health risk to determine when they get the vaccination, with those more vulnerable prioritised.
The government expects the AstraZeneca vaccine to get approval soon so it will be available in early March.
Health Department boss Brendan Murphy has said it is unlikely people will get to pick if they get the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine, as it depends on their profile and category of risk.
The government wants the vaccine rollout to be complete by the end of October.
Hospitals will be able to store the vaccines in special low-temperature freezers, while aged care facilities will be able to keep them cool in their boxes for 15 days by regularly replacing the dry ice.
Mr Hunt said it is critical that communications around the vaccine program are also targeted for culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.
‘The government recognises that people from multicultural communities are a significant part of the health, aged care, child care and disability workforce and will be among the first people in Australia to receive vaccinations,’ Mr Hunt said in a statement on Sunday.
But shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers is concerned that Australia is languishing in rolling out the program, which is creating uncertainty in communities and the economy more broadly.
He said some 90 countries have their vaccinations program under way.
‘After the prime minister said we were at the front of the queue 160 million people have been vaccinated around the world, while zero Australians have been vaccinated,’ Dr Chalmers told Sky News’ Sunday Agenda program.