Murray Bridge health worker is first in nation to get AstraZeneca vaccine

A Murray Bridge GP has made history this morning by becoming Australia’s first recipient of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Australia’s first dose of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has been delivered to a Murray Bridge GP.

In what was described as an “historic” day, Dr Caroline Phegan received the first of 40 jabs in the Murraylands on Friday and another 50 over coming days.

Dr Phegan, a GP who has immune health-related issues, is the country’s first recipient of more than 300,000 AZ coronavirus vaccines that arrived at the weekend.

SA Health took delivery of 1000 doses on Thursday. Authorities hope to deliver 12,000 Pfizer jabs by the end of next week.

Speaking before she got the jab, Dr Phegan, 48, said it was important she get the vaccine as she was at a higher risk due to her health problems.

Dr Phegan, the Riverland Mallee Coorong Executive Director of Medical Services who also works in emergency departments, has psoriatic arthritis, an auto immune disorder.

“I’m pretty excited actually,” she said.

“I think it’s important to be a part of the vaccine rollout.

“It’s really important to have that health protection, not only for myself, other workers but also for the people we serve, which is the public.”

Dr Caroline Phegan, Executive Director of Medical Services for the Riverland, Mallee, and Coorong Local Health Network, is the first person in Australia to be given the AstraZeneca vaccine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

(LtoR front) Dr Caroline Phegan is joined by Professor Paul Worley, Executive Director of clinical innovation for the Local Health Network, SA Premier Steven Marshall, Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier, and Health Minister Stephen Wade. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

After getting her jab at 7.54am, local time, she said: ‘Didn’t hurt a bit’.

Premier Steven Marshall, who will attend the national Cabinet on Friday, described it as a “historic day”.

“South Australia’s COVID-19 response to the pandemic has been world-leading and today we will mark another milestone administering the nation’s first Astra Zeneca vaccine in Murray Bridge,” Mr Marshall said.

Health Minister Stephen Wade said the state’s rollout was on track despite its slow start.

It comes as the EU blocked a shipment of the AstraZeneca vaccine that was headed to Australia.

Mr Wade said he had spoken to his federal counterpart Greg Hunt early on Friday and said the decision by the Italian government to block a 250,000 dose shipment would not affect Australia.

“We don’t expect any disruption. Let’s be clear, it was one shipment from one country,” Mr Wade said.

Mr Wade said the expansion of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout to regional areas was an important step towards protecting the whole of SA.

Dr Caroline Phegan speaks at a press conference at the Murray Bridge Soldiers Memorial Hospital for the roll out of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Picture: Premier Steven Marshall's Facebook page

“Starting vaccinations in Murray Bridge today is the next step in the vital vaccine roll out, reaching more of our regional based healthcare and quarantine and border workers, as the program broadens to include more priority groups and eventually, all South Australians,” Mr Wade said.

More vaccine hubs at the Riverland General Hospital in Berri, Mount Gambier Hospital, Whyalla Hospital, Port Pirie Hospital and Port Augusta Hospital are expected to come online as the program continues, while vaccine clinics will be established throughout the state during each phase of the rollout.

Earlier, the SA Government said it was “committed to getting these vaccinations to our regions, and all South Australians as quickly as we safely can”.

“We have embarked on the state’s biggest ever peacetime operation, and while we know there will be road bumps along the way, the Marshall Liberal Government is determined to provide the opportunity for every South Australian to be vaccinated by the end of the year.”

AstraZeneca is the second COVID vaccine to be approved for use in Australia, and SA is to get 20,000 of the initial 300,000 doses which arrived in Sydney on the weekend.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the first overseas-manufactured doses would be followed by 50 million doses manufactured in Melbourne.

“We took the decision to have the sovereign capability to do that because we did not want to be, over the course of our vaccination program in Australia, overly reliant or dependent on supply chains from somewhere else,” Mr Morrison said.

“What will follow that is, ultimately, the approval of the manufacturing process here in Australia for the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will launch the next very significant phase of the homegrown vaccination of Australians for COVID-19.”

He said the approval of the manufacturing process for the jab in Australia would “launch the next, very significant phase, of the homegrown vaccination of Australians for COVID-19”.

The AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored at refrigeration temperature unlike the Pfizer vaccine which needs special deep freezers.

It comes as SA Health abruptly shut the Queen Elizabeth Hospital COVID testing clinic, leaving western suburbs residents facing a trip to Port Adelaide or the city for a test.

Meanwhile, no new cases were reported on Thursday. SA has had 618 cases of COVID-19, there are still four active cases all in medi-hotels from overseas arrivals, and there have been four deaths.