SA Health Minister targeted by anti-vax ‘trolls’ after getting Covid jab
The state’s Health Minister has vowed to fight back against anti-vax “trolls” after being hounded by thousands over a social media post.
Health Minister Blair Boyer has been swamped by a backlash of criticism from anti-vaxxers on social media after posting an image of himself receiving a Covid-19 booster shot to Facebook last Friday night.
“Getting my Covid booster thanks to Renée at Terry White Wynn Vale,” the Minister’s post said.
“It’s a quick, easy, painless and free way to keep you and your loved ones safe, especially as we are heading into winter.”
The Facebook post has since amassed 10,000 reacts, including 9100 laughing reacts and 216 angry reacts. It also garnered more than 4000 comments with most criticising the vaccination before Boyer’s social media team disabled the function.
Boyer also received several messages from angry users to his inbox, the Minister fighting back by saying he would continue advocating for vaccinations based on scientific advice and stand up to “abuse and lies spread by online trolls”.
He also warned that if South Australians failed to be vaccinated it would lead to preventable diseases reappearing across the state. The warning follows one of Australia’s worst outbreaks of diphtheria in decades, with 230 cases reported across the country including seven in SA this month due to a drop in vaccinations.
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The latest Covid figures on the SA Health website showed there were 114 new cases reported this week, 2,742 reported during 2026 to date and there had been eight deaths.
Last year, there were 85 deaths recorded, with data showing a dramatic fall from the 334 Covid-related deaths in 2024 according to Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The Minister’s post seemingly made it to all corners of Facebook, with Icelandic, Hungarian and South African users sharing it on their personal pages, while one user shared it to the ‘Canadian Citizens against Covid regulations and unlawful Mandates’ page.
One user commenting “order your coffin while your at it bud,” and another saying, “PUREBLOODS RULE!!! Not one person who didn’t get the shot regrets not getting it”.
But Boyer told InDaily he would not be “deterred by online bullies” as he continued to advocate for the health of all South Australians.
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“The abuse and lies spread by online trolls are exactly why I am making it my priority as Health Minister to fight back against attempts to undermine vaccinations,” Boyer said.
“Vaccinations save lives. That is a fact. If people stop getting vaccinated, we will see more preventable diseases reappear in the community – resulting in greater illness and death.”
It comes as the most recent Australian Respiratory Surveillance Report data from the Australian Centre for Disease Control shows fewer adults have received a Covid vaccine in the past 12 months compared to the previous year.
Nationally, 5.4 per cent of people aged 18 years and older have received a Covid vaccine in the last six months, with 6.7 per cent of South Australians getting the jab since November.
“I will not sit by and let disinformation about vaccinations put people off getting themselves and their family vaccinated. We will make sure this kind of disinformation is discredited, and the public know why getting vaccinated is so important,” Boyer said.
“That is why the Malinauskas Labor Government is in the final stages of developing the next Public Health Plan, and I have requested that increasing vaccinations be a key focus.”
Influenza vaccination rates are slightly lower compared to 2025, at 26.2 per cent, compared with 27.1 per cent at the same time last year. However, vaccination coverage is expected to increase in the coming weeks heading into winter.
Confirmed cases of influenza in SA are significantly lower than this time last year, with 1832 confirmed cases compared to 4572 in May 2025.
The rate of flu vaccines for children aged between six months and five years old is up by 2.1 per cent, following the new no-needle nasal spray option available for that age group.
Boyer said public messaging will continue to work towards increasing vaccine rates in the state.
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