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McGowan undeterred over WA vaccine rollout

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WA Premier Mark McGowan says his government is doing what it has to do.
Camera IconWA Premier Mark McGowan says his government is doing what it has to do. Credit: AAP

Premier Mark McGowan says a security breach at his home by people wound up online by "conspiracy theorists" promoting "witch doctors' solutions" to COVID-19 won't stop Western Australia's vaccine rollout.

Mr McGowan left a wedding and rushed home on Saturday night due to the incident involving anti-vaccination protesters.

The premier had a bigger security entourage with him at a press conference on Sunday morning but says the episode hasn't put him off the vaccine rollout.

"Personal security is something that we don't really talk about but I just urge everyone to just be respectful, understand that the government's doing what we have to do," Mr McGowan told reporters.

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"We want to get people vaccinated, we want to make sure our community is safe, we want to be able to eventually reopen to the rest of the world, and to NSW and Victoria, and we want to make sure that vulnerable people are protected across the community.

"We're not going to be deterred, we're not going to be stopped, we're not going to give in.

"I just urge people just to go and get vaccinated, do the right thing by themselves and their community, and their family."

He said people involved in the security breach had obviously been victims of people pedalling misinformation online.

"It's a sign, partly of the online world, where people get wound up by conspiracy theorists and misleading information, and people who promote basically witch doctors' solutions to medical problems," Mr McGowan said.

"And people should just listen to the science and the medical professionals and the people who know what they're talking about.

"And the people that know what they're talking about are saying getting vaccinated will save your life."

Meanwhile, the WA government will start rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine at Bunnings stores and mobile vaccine hubs.

The premier said that will help boost vaccination rates among people who have struggled to find time to get jabbed.

The latest figures show 75.7 per cent of eligible West Australians have had one dose of a vaccine and 58.9 per cent are fully vaccinated

Mr McGowan also said WA wasn't considering opening up to NSW, Victoria and the ACT before Christmas, unlike Queensland and Tasmania.

He said the latter two states' would have to limit the number of people in venues and homes and he wasn't willing to do that in WA because his state was less dependent on Christmas tourism.

"So let's just get through that period, get our vaccination level up and put in place measures we need to after the Christmas holidays," the premier said.

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