Frontline healthcare workers and aged carers should be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, a survey has revealed.
The survey, conducted by the Australian National University, interviewed 3,000 people questioning who they believe should be vaccinated first.
Topping the list was healthcare workers and aged and disability carers, followed closely by registered nurses, nursing support workers and general practitioners.
Hospital staff assist people waiting in line to be screened for COVID-19 outside the Royal Melbourne Hospital on March 11, 2020
An elderly man wearing a mask rests on an ornate bench on Swanston Street during COVID-19 in Melbourne
Primary school teachers, childcare workers and police officers also made the top 10 of who should be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
'The world is waiting with bated breath for a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19,' report co-author Professor Nicholas Biddle said.
Who should receive a COVID-19 vaccine first
- Paramedic
- Aged and disability carer
- Registered nurses
- Nursing support workers
- General practitioners
- Primary school teacher
- Police officer
- Childcare worker
- Welfare support worker
'If and when it does become available, a decision will need to be made about how it will be distributed and what criteria will be used to identify who receives the vaccine first.
'Such a decision will inevitably take into account the health and economic benefits of some groups receiving it ahead of others.'
He said the report's findings 'made sense' that healthcare workers should be the first to be vaccinated thanks to their hard work during the pandemic and the rate they were infected by the virus.
'This makes perfect sense when you consider where most of our second wave of COVID-19 infections have come from and that these are the professionals who are directly dealing with the aftermath of this pandemic on a daily basis.
'The same can be said for aged and disability carers, who are providing care to some of the people most vulnerable to the terrible effects of this virus.'
In addition to the top 10, Australians with pre-existing health conditions should also be vaccinated first.
Females were also more preferred to be vaccinated before men as well as older Australians to younger ones.
Co-author Professor Matthew Gray said revealed that those surveyed did not think Australians with an Asian name should receive the vaccine before those with Anglo-Celtic names.
'This is important because indications of at least some increase in anti-Asian views has not translated into a view that people with an Asian name should be given lower priority in access to a COVID-19 vaccine.'
Two girls wearing face masks walk through Footscray during a series of pop up Freedom protests on September 20
