We must vaccinate the severely mentally ill
Covid and complex psychiatric illness are a terrible mix, both for the individuals and the health system.
Much has been said about the impact of covid infections on those who are most vulnerable in our population.
In recent days the attention has been on the spread of the virus into Indigenous communities. There is a collective resignation that, although many saw this coming, it wasn’t prevented with the vigour it deserved, despite the well-known existing health gap. Vaccination rates in the Indigenous population are much lower than for other Australians – around 16% fully vaccinated, compared with over 30% of the general population. Much more could be done to close this particular gap.
Other vulnerable groups, such as those with disabilities, the homeless and those with substance misuse issues, are mentioned in the calls for better vaccination rates.
But one group of vulnerable people has been overlooked: those living with severe and complex mental illness. Their high susceptibility and the difficulty of protecting them with regular public health measures make a good argument for extending the powers of the Mental Health Act to permit their vaccination without their consent.