South Australia’s aged care residents start receiving COVID-19 jabs, while two new SA cases confirmed

SA aged care residents have started receiving their COVID jabs. It comes as two new SA cases, both returned travellers, were confirmed today.

Aged care residents who give informed consent have started receiving their COVID vaccine jabs as the national rollout continues.

At Rembrandt Court in Oaklands Park, almost 90 per cent of the 89 residents were expected to have their first shot today, led by Tinie Nieuwenhoven and Margje Ketellapper.

Tinie, 80, who emigrated from Amsterdam in 1956, founded the centre some 30 years ago when her mother got dementia and reverted to her native Dutch language, which Tinie’s younger brother could not understand.

Tinie’s determination to build a home to cater for elderly Dutch migrants started with car boot sales and dances, then she won a $40,000 grant from Queen Juliana of The Netherlands which led to government grants for a home that had Dutch flavour but did not discriminate on nationality.

That sort of determination saw her lead the way to get the shot.

“I felt it was the thing to do, to protect others as well as myself,” she said.

“It is the path back to a normal life, to avoid the risk of lockdowns where you can’t have visitors and can’t go out.

“It didn’t hurt and I feel fine. I would encourage others to have it.”

Rembrandt Aged Care resident Tinie Nieuwenhoven 80yrs receives the Pfizer vaccine from nurse Lynn Phan in the age care facility at Oaklands Park, SA. Picture: Emma Brasier

The centre’s chief executive Deb Dutton said there had been a comprehensive discussion of the vaccine with residents, including with the resident GP and nursing staff, and that initially they were split about 50-50 on taking it.

“Now almost all will get it today, just under 90 per centre in total,” she said.

“We have actually had a line-up of people from 8am eager to get it.

“Of those who don’t get it, half are medically not suitable and half just don’t want it. Aged care residents are like the rest of the community, there are a range of opinions on these matters.”

The vaccines are going to residential aged care homes as part of the initial phase of the program aimed at high priority groups, but officials are unsure how long it will take to vaccinate all people in such homes.

Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade said aged care residents are a top priority but there is no deadline, noting the size of South Australia.

The government has now received 4000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine with another 8000 expected in coming weeks.

On Monday, 147 mainly quarantine-related workers were vaccinated at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and 200 are expected to get their jab today. While at Flinders Medical Centre there were 50 frontline health workers vaccinated on Monday and another 50 expected today.

A third hub is due to open in about three weeks but deputy chief public health officer Dr Emily Kirkpatrick said a decision on the site is still being finalised.

She noted the limited supply of the Pfizer vaccine, and the requirement for freezers, made it impractical to create a lot of regional hubs immediately.

Premier Steven Marshall, who was at Rembrandt Court for the occasion, stressed the vaccine is safe, free and not mandatory but urged people to have it when their turn comes.

“I would love South Australia to have the highest vaccination rate in the nation,” he said.

Mr Marshall said he had no ill effects from receiving his first shot yesterday apart from “a tiny bit of tenderness” where the needle went in.

The Transition Committee meets tomorrow and will consider allowing dancing while drinking, and also the border ban with Greater Melbourne which could be lifted from midnight on Thursday if there are no new cases.

Meanwhile, SA Health on Tuesday reported two new cases, a woman in her 60s and a man in his 50s.

The returned travellers will be moved from their CBD med-hotel to the COVID-19 Tom’s Court Hotel facility in the city.

The pair, who take the state’s total to 612, are among four active patients at the facility, which opened last week. All are in a stable condition.

The expatriates, who arrived in Adelaide on Monday and tested positive on their first day in quarantine, are not linked.

SA Health also reported 3,993 tests on Monday, taking the total number of COVID checks to 1,073,938.