‘Easy breezy’: Mackay Base Hospital nurse who treated first Mackay case gets COVID-19 jab

Registered nurse Hannah Heslin was excited to be one of the first in Mackay to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

A year after she was part of a team of nurses looking after Mackay’s first COVID-19 case, Hannah Heslin was one of the first in the region to receive the vaccine.

The registered nurse got her COVID-19 jab on Monday when Mackay Hospital and Health Service opened its vaccination hub, co-ordinating the rollout of the vaccine to other priority groups, including emergency service workers.

Ms Heslin said it was “quite scary” when the pandemic reached Mackay, just a few months after global cases were first reported.

“We had the first COVID-19 patient on our ward a year ago,” she said. “We looked after them.”

Mackay registered nurse Hannah Heslin was one of the first in the region to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. Picture: Melanie Whiting

Ms Heslin said she was excited to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine, describing the process as “easy breezy”.

“I’m quite excited that we were able to get vaccinated a year on,” she said.

“Because back then it was quite scary not knowing if we were going to end up sick or the repercussions of looking after those patients.

“Especially since I’ve got an older grandma, my mum is also immunocompromised.

“They are 1000km away and you never know what’s going to happen.

“I didn’t see my family for a year. Being in that situation is not fun.”

More stories:

Permanent COVID-19 rules an ‘attack on freedom’: Christensen

Crew aboard ship off Hay Point swabbed for COVID-19

COVID highlights need for more pharmacists in Mackay

COVAX lead and executive director of nursing and midwifery Julie Rampton said the Mackay HHS received 3000 AstraZeneca doses last week, but it was unknown when more would be delivered.

She said the Commonwealth would advise the state of the next delivery.

“We’re planning to slowly increase the number (of vaccinations) per day, we only did 24 on Friday,” Ms Rampton said.

“We’re planning to do hopefully around 50 (on Monday) and we’re following the national rollout strategy which is defined by the Commonwealth.”

COVAX lead and executive director of nursing and midwifery Julie Rampton. Picture: Melanie Whiting

After the first 1A phase is rolled out to thousands of workers, phase 1B will begin.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is stored at refrigeration temperature.

Subscriber benefits:

How to activate your free Courier-Mail subscription

How to get Daily Mercury news straight to your inbox

Your dose of Harry Bruce cartoons

Originally published as ‘Easy breezy’: Mackay Base Hospital nurse who treated first Mackay case gets COVID-19 jab