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Frontline healthcare workers, including staff in emergency care, acute wards, immunisation, COVID-19 testing, aged care facilities and border\/port workers are also now receiving the Pfizer vaccine in Phase 1a.<\/p>\n
Barwon South West Public Health Unit director Professor Eugene Athan said those groups would receive their vaccinations at one of Barwon Health\u2019s facilities next to University Hospital Geelong.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s pleasing to see so many staff putting their hand up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine today on the first day of the program,\u201d Prof Athan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe COVID-19 vaccine is safe and highly effective against all strains \u2013 it\u2019s an important part of our defence against the virus and in protecting our vulnerable population.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first person to receive the vaccination in Geelong was acute care nurse Jessica Rhook, who said she was excited to take the next step towards being COVID-safe.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is important for me to get immunised and it feels good to be setting an example for the community,\u201d Ms Rhook said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will protect myself, my patients and the whole community.\u201d<\/p>\n
About 100 Geelong-based healthcare workers and port workers received the vaccine on Monday this week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ELAINE Madden is 87 years old and she\u2019d like to live a bit longer, thank you. That\u2019s what the resident at Homestead Estate in Wallington said just before she became one of the first people in not only Geelong but also in aged care to receive the coronavirus vaccine, which began its rollout across the […]<\/p>\n