‘If people want to go back to what was life was like pre COVID-19, the vaccine is the most important tool in doing so’: Health Minister

THERE were smiles and whoops of excitement as the first Territorians were given the COVID-19 jab

• COVID-19 vaccinations to begin in Darwin today

THERE were smiles and whoops of excitement as the first Territorians were given the COVID-19 jab.

Frontline workers at Royal Darwin Hospital were vaccinated on Monday afternoon, a day after the first batch of Pfizer vaccines landed in Darwin on Sunday.

AUSMAT occupational therapist Erica Bleakley, who works in international quarantine at Howard Springs, was thrilled to receive the vaccine.

“It was fine, didn’t hurt at all,” she said.

“It’s a very straightforward process, the staff in there have got it down pat. And yeah, so far so good, the needle was tiny, so it all went well.”

“We’ve had numerous positives coming back from overseas so knowing that we’re more protected from catching it ourselves but also we’re less likely to be spreading it throughout our community is really important for us.

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“(It) takes down some of our anxiety and it makes it safer to bring home Australians from overseas.”

She urged anxious Territorians to do their research.

“I think it can make sense for people to think this has been developed really quickly but when you look into it, there are really good sources of information that I think are really trustworthy, explain the very rigorous process that vaccines go through in order to be approved for use in Australia,” she said.

“So I think it’s really important that people are informed consumers of health care but I think that there’s enough information out there to reassure people that this is something that is safe, and it’s going to be really beneficial for our community.”

Health Minister Natasha Fyles said it was anticipated about 800 vaccinations would be completed in the next week, with quarantine and border control workers, hospital and health care workers in high-risk environments to get the jab under Phase 1A. By the end of this phase about 4500 Territorians will be vaccinated.

“It’s really important for Territorians to understand that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe,” she said.

“It is effective and it has been rigorously tested and approved by the TGA. The process around the COVID-19 vaccine, although it has been efficient in its development worldwide, has still gone through all the checks and balances.

“If people want to go back to what was life was like pre COVID-19, the vaccine is the most important tool in doing so.”

Ms Fyles said getting the jab would be crucial in keeping community transmission out of the Territory.

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“We haven’t seen the full impact of COVID-19. Some people might be hesitant around why they need to get vaccinated. It’s really important for them to understand the approval processes are rigorous and it has been tested it is safe and effective,” she said.

“But also if we’d like to open up within Australia and internationally to life, what it was like before the pandemic. It’s really important that people get vaccinated.”

The Pfizer vaccine will be administered as part of Phase 1A and requires two doses, 21 days apart, to be effective against the virus.

It’s anticipated that Phase 1B will begin late March.

Under Phase 1B all other health care workers, elderly Territorians over the age of 70, Indigenous Territorians over the age of 55, other critical and high-risk workers including defence, police, fire, emergency services and meat processing workers, and younger adults with disabilities and underlying medical conditions will be vaccinated.

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Originally published as ‘If people want to go back to what was life was like pre COVID-19, the vaccine is the most important tool in doing so’: Health Minister