Sue, Jill and Margaret’s COVID Vaccine Story
24 June 2021
People over 70 were amongst the first people offered the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the first phase (Phase 1a) of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine national roll-out strategy.
Recently we asked three residents of a retirement village in the Illawarra, Sue, Jill and Margaret, why they chose to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Sue said: "This time last year it seemed like the whole world was in a panic, to me the COVID vaccine is like a 'light at the end of the tunnel'.”
"We are lucky to have a vaccine which will hopefully protect us. Getting the COVID vaccine is a no brainer as far as I'm concerned. I just want to do my part and protect my family to protect other people and to protect myself,” she said.
"I have a few pre-existing conditions including clotting so I did ask my GP for advice and he said it would be more dangerous to not have the vaccine and catch COVID-19.
"My experience of getting the COVID vaccine was amazing. I didn't feel a thing and I didn't have any side effects whatsoever. I didn't even have a sore arm. I was one of the lucky ones I guess,” Sue added.
Jill never considered not getting the COVID vaccine.
"I'm elderly, I've got asthma, I've got other complaints that aren't curable so I decided I had to have it," said Jill.
"Also, I've got a daughter who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer and her immune system is down. If I didn't get the vaccine I could have exposed her and her family to the virus,” she said.
Margaret’s doctor explained thoroughly all the pros and cons and quoted all the facts and figures on how many people could get blood clots or other complications.
“The risks from COVID-19 seem too extreme to not get the COVID vaccine. I didn't want to get sick and end up in a hospital,” said Margaret.
"I've listened to medical advice that the more people who get the COVID vaccine, the sooner we can get rid of this virus and free the world of it. I'm encouraging all my family to have it done because I think that is the way we are going to eradicate the virus.”
Watch our full interview with Sue, Jill and Margaret below:
For people, 60 years and over, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) advise that the benefits of vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine outweigh the risks associated with vaccination.
Experts at ATAGI have updated their advice based on new evidence demonstrating a higher risk for people aged under 60 than originally thought of the rare blood-clotting condition, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). You can check your eligibility for the vaccine here.