Dr Caroline Phegan says she is “very excited” after becoming the first Australian to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Murray Bridge hospital.
Dr Phegan is the most senior doctor in the region and has an auto immune disease which means it would be much more dangerous for her to contract COVID-19.
“I’m very excited, it didn’t hurt at all,” she said.
“What it means to me is I now have started my journey for protection from coronavirus and that I have been part of the pandemic solution."
Dr Phegan said she would be straight back to work to supervise 40 or so colleagues who would be receiving the vaccine after 1,000 doses arrived in South Australia on Thursday.
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SA Leads Nation With AstraZeneca Vaccine
At the vanguard of the national vaccination program, Australia’s first AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are being administered to regional frontline healthcare workers at Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital today.
Premier Steven Marshall said more than 40 frontline staff from the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network are expected to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on the first day they are rolled out in Australia.
“South Australia’s COVID-19 response to the pandemic has been world-leading and today we will mark another milestone administering the nation’s first Astra Zeneca vaccine in Murray Bridge,” Premier Marshall said.