COVID jabs get underway

DOSES of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination have started in the region with early jabs going to seniors in facilities across Ballarat.

One of the first in line to receive the injection was 83-year-old Elizabeth Lowday, a resident of the Ballarat Health Services run James Thomas Court in Sebastopol.

A lifelong supporter of vaccinations, Mrs Lowday said she didn’t hesitate when offered jab, and that process was quick and painless.

“You didn’t even know you were getting it,” she said. “I never felt a thing. It was really good.

“I want to do it to help the younger generation, so that everyone can get their lives back together. We’ve got to give it a go.”

While Mrs Lowday will need a second dose in about three weeks for full immunisation, once that’s complete, she said she’s looking forward to the simple things in life that have been limited since the start of the pandemic.

“We can get out and have a meal with our families and see grandchildren and all that,” she said. “It will be lovely.

“Eventually we can have more visitors come in. It’s been hard. We were in lockdown at one stage and we couldn’t have any visitors at all.

“I hope this will work and everyone’s lives will get back to normal.”

Registered nurse Lucia Shepherd, who’s regular job is at the Base Hospital’s emergency department, was one of the large team of health care workers fanning out across the region to administer the vaccine.

With 40 injections either given or planned on Monday at James Thomas Court by Ms Shepherd alone, she said the vaccination process had been going well.

“People have been very receptive and quite excited to be getting it, and I think even a bit surprised that they were so early on in the piece,” she said.

“The region’s done a great job in getting the program together so quickly given we didn’t know a couple of weeks ago when this was going to be rolling out.

“Our aged care residents have probably suffered the most. They haven’t been allowed visitors or gone out and done any of their activities. I think it’s fabulous we can give them the vaccine so they can get back their independence and improve their quality of life.”

Late last week BHS CEO Dale Fraser outlined details about how the region’s vaccination process would take place, not just for people included in the early jabs – who are known as phase 1A, but everyone else.

That includes trained vaccination specialists, mobile teams, arrangements for frontline healthcare workers, and mass vaccination clinics in Ballarat, Ararat and Horsham.

As the Pfizer-BioNTech requires two doses for effective vaccination, Mr Fraser said that while the aim was to use all the vaccine BHS received as soon as possible, plans were in place to make sure people got their second shot at the right time.

“With each delivery there’s a paired second dose,” he said. “So the 400 we get next week, there’ll be a complementary 400 in a three week period.

“We know there’s more supply of Pfizer coming.”

While those in phase 1A are likely to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech product, the majority of people will receive the Australian made AstraZeneca injections.

As opposed to the Pfizer shot – which has to be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius and thawed, Mr Fraser said the logistics of the AstraZeneca were less onerous and the second dose timing was three months, not three weeks.

“AstraZeneca is [stored at] two to eight degrees,” he said. “That is more readily designed to be used more broadly away from a centre.”

While Ms Shepherd was giving the vaccinations this week, early next week she’ll be receiving hers.

She said she was looking forward to the jab and encouraged everyone else to get the injections when their turn came.

“It will make things more of a relief in the emergency department,” she said. “It’s been a pretty stressful year.

“If we can get a really good response from the community, moving forward it’s the best thing to do if we want to go back to doing all the things we want to do.”

Mrs Lowday also urged people to get the vaccination when they can.

“I think we’ve got to give it a go,” she said. “It’s the only way we’re going to try to beat this.”