CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia has weathered the pandemic better than many nations — recording just a single coronavirus death since last October. But its success means many are in no rush to get vaccinated and that could delay the country’s return to normalcy. Concerns are growing about the economic cost to Australia of being left behind by countries that suffered far higher death tolls, but urgently embraced vaccines and are increasingly opening up. Most of Australia’s pandemic success can be attributed to the continued closure of the border, something unlikely to change until more than the current 6% of the population is vaccinated. But with so few deaths, many in Australia are questioning whether the slight health risks of the widely available AstraZeneca vaccine make it worth it.
