It was all hands on deck today as we opened the first major COVID-19 vaccination hub in our District at John Hunter Hospital.
Nurse Unit Manager of the John Hunter Hospital COVID-19 Ward, Alexandra Mexon, was excited to be the first person to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at John Hunter Hospital.
“Working in the COVID-19 ward I have witnessed the devastating effects of the virus first-hand. This is why I have chosen to have the vaccine today.
“Anyone with respiratory symptoms gets tested when they come in to ED, and then come to our ward to wait for their swab result if they require hospital treatment. I definitely feel that extra sense of security in caring for these patients now that I’ve been vaccinated.
“The jab was quick and I barely felt a thing. The whole process was simple and while it is not mandatory, I would encourage all everyone to get the vaccine as soon as they are able,” she said.
The hub is one of five major hubs across the state, which will also begin the dispatch of vaccine to satellite sites in rural and regional areas across the District in the coming weeks.
The vaccination hub and satellite sites will initially focus on frontline healthcare workers as part of Phase 1A of the Australian Government’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout, and will be followed by a wider rollout of the vaccine, including to the general public through the GP network.
Planning for local satellite sites is now in the final stages, with more information expected to be available in the coming weeks.
For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the NSW Health website: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/vaccine/Pages/community.aspx
