Australian medics fighting COVID in the UK make vaccine plea

Aussies on the frontline of the UK’s COVID fight who have taken a vaccine are urging reluctant Australians to do the same.

Ashley McLardie is urging Australians to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Picture: Hollie Adams

An Australian medic working in a London hospital has revealed how she had to beg her grandfather to get a coronavirus vaccine.

Ashley McLardie said she was surprised at her grandfather’s attitude, and the concern from her friends in Australia, including those in the medical community.

“At first he was saying he had a good life, I’m 73, if it takes me. But that’s just so silly when there is something around that could be the end of it,” Ms McLardie, from the Gold Coast, said.

“I told him that I have had my vaccine and you need to have yours.”

Ms McLardie, 29, works as a psychiatric nurse in the emergency department at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

She arrived two months before the pandemic hit.

Ashley McLardie from the Gold Coast had to beg her grandpa to get a COVID vaccine. Picture: Hollie Adams

Ms McLardie said her housemates had contracted the virus but that she had not, despite being at high risk of exposure by working in a busy hospital, although studies have shown up to two thirds of cases are asymptomatic.

The UK has vaccinated more than 12 million people and was on track to vaccinate all over 70s by next week.

Britain remains in lockdown, with cases dropping steadily, although the full effect of the vaccines’ impact on transmission was likely to be seen in mid March.

Thousands of Australians have been working on the frontline in the UK as it battles the worst outbreak in Europe, with among the world’s highest death toll compared with the population.

William Murphy was initially reluctant to take a jab but his granddaughter convinced him of the benefits. Picture: Supplied

Gabrielle O’Connor is an Occupational Therapist at London’s St George’s Hospital.

She has been drafted into work in the Intensive Care Unit since January, as part of a push to help aid the recovery of COVID-19 patients.

Her work looks at early intervention which addresses cognitive and physical rehabilitation. Interventions include postural management, upper limb rehabilitation and cognitive assessments as well as supporting the patient’s transition from critical care to the ward.

Gabrielle O'Connor, 28, of Brisbane, only had a mild headache as a side effect of the Pfizer jab. Picture: Supplied

Ms O’Connor, who had the Pfizer jab and only had a mild headache as a side effect, said she hoped Australians would take a vaccine when offered.

“I’m definitely pro-vaccine, I would encourage everyone to get it,” she said.

“I had a bit of a headache, but it lasted a maximum of eight hours. I was back at work the next day.”

Ms O’Connor said she was witnessing the ongoing COVID effects on patients, including neurological symptoms like confusion and thought disorder as well as general fatigue.

“The virus can damage the lungs, heart and brain, which can increase the risk of long-term health problems. Even in young people COVID-19 can cause strokes and seizures.”

Gabrielle O'Connor says she has seen COVID patients suffer longer term effects including lung, heart and brain damage. Picture: Supplied

Andrew Ogilvie, an orthopaedic surgeon from Brighton, Melbourne, has been drafted into the intensive care units at University College Hospital London.

Instead of doing routine knee surgery or helping save car accident victims, he had been helping turn COVID-19 patients.

At least six medical staff, and an anaesthetist, are required to turn intubated patients, which has to be done every 18 hours, with great care taken to avoid dislodging a tube or other medical equipment.

Dr Ogilvie, 31, “jumped” at his chance to get a vaccine.

“I did a little bit of reading but it’s outside my experience. I thought I would leave it to the people who know about it; they’re a lot smarter than me on this,” he said.

“I was offered it on a Sunday when I was working, all the people working were. I jumped at the opportunity.

“I’ve seen quite a lot of long COVID and that’s going to be worse than any possible side effect from the vaccine

“People are coming in six months after they have had COVID and they are saying they can’t walk up the stairs. And it’s not a rare thing.”

Andrew Ogilvie, 31, from Melbourne “jumped” at the chance to get a vax. Picture: Supplied

Australian physiotherapist Peter Thornton, who has been helping to run a vaccine centre in Fulham, London, works as an associate director in the management team for private provider Babylon Health.

Mr Thornton, from Dalby, Queensland, said Australia could learn from the UK’s vaccine success, urging that a mix of health care providers were used and that local practices get given the responsibility of how to roll it out.

“All resources should be thrown at it to roll it out as quickly as possible – the royal flying doctors will be needed in some cases. You can’t expect all the people in rural Queensland to come into Townsville for a vaccine,” he said.

“The vaccine needs to come to the people; people can’t be expected to come to the vaccine.”

The team at his practice has been able to vaccinate 200 people a day, with doctors pulled off other duties to help with the program.

“We have been getting through the majority of our 80 plus patients and the health workers who are registered with us. Even if they don’t work for us they can get the jab,” he said.

“We have sent out invitations to our 70 + group. There are logistical challenges. When you ring a 75-year-old and ask them to come in the next day they may not be able to, whereas some can come in the next two hours.”

Vaccine take up in the UK has been up to 95 per cent in some age groups, but that has been driven by the high number of infections and deaths occurring.

Peter Thornton, 29, from Queensland says no vaccine will be perfect but life will be worse-off if we don’t take one. Pictures: Supplied

Mr Thornton, 29, said that Australia would need to accept the limitations of any vaccine program, which would not be able to eliminate the virus in the short term like Australia’s hard lockdowns have done.

“People need realistic expectations at both ends of the spectrum. No vaccine is going to be perfect. It might be 90 per cent effective but this virus is not going to disappear any time soon. It’s going to be with us every year and it will be worse if no-one gets vaccinated,” he said.

New strains found in South Africa and Britain, which early research suggests transmitted much more easily, have led scientists to work on new vaccines already.

A team at Oxford University, which produced the jab that will be used widely in Australia, plans to have a new vaccine within four months to target the new variants.

And GlaxoSmithKline, a British firm, has signed a $250 million deal to create new variant resistant drugs.

Australia has ordered both the Pfizer and Oxford jabs, with any chance of returning to normal life and international travel based on the success of their roll out.

[e-mail]

Originally published as Australian medics fighting COVID in the UK make vaccine plea