Daily US Times: Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia is vaccinated as the country prepares to start inoculations this week.
His dose was televised on Sunday in order to help boost confidence in the vaccine rollout across Australia.
Pn Monday, vaccinations officially begin in the country and at least 60,000 doses are expected to be administered next week.
Small crowds of anti-vaccination demonstrators gathered to protest in Sunday against the launch.
The Prime Minister was part of a small group of people vaccinated on Sunday along with some care home residents and frontline health workers. Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly and chief nurse Professor Alison McMillan were also immunised.
Speaking at ahead of his jab, Mr Morrison said: “Tomorrow our vaccination programme starts, so as a curtain raiser today we’re here making some very important points; that it’s safe, that it’s important, and we need to start with those who are most vulnerable and are on the front line.”
The first person to be vaccinated in Australia was 85-year-old Jane Malysiak.
The first vaccinations in the country will be the Pfizer vaccine which has been granted approval for use.
Earlier this week, Australia’s medical regulator also granted provisional approval for the vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, which is expected to be rolled out next month. Health Minister Greg Hunt says he will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine in the coming weeks.
Both of coronavirus vaccines have undergone extensive safety checks and are already being used in several countries.
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