Surprise early start to COVID-19 vaccines
The Australian rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine began early as a World War II survivor and Prime Minister Scott Morrison were among the first people to get the vaccine.
The pair are among a small number of people to receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a medical clinic in Castle Hill, NSW.
Jane Malysiak, 84, sat alongside Morrison and was one of two aged care residents to receive the vaccine.
The large-scale rollout of the vaccine nationwide will begin tomorrow.
Morrison told the media that he had elected to go first in receiving the Pfizer vaccine in order to boost confidence in the shot.
"I have, by my own example today, joined by the Chief Nurse of Midwifery and the Chief Medical Officer of our country, together with those Australians who are in the top priority of this vaccination program, to say to you, Australians, it's safe, it's important," Mr Morrison said to 7NEWS.
He also said he was proud that the nation had "made its Australian way" through the pandemic and hopes it'll continue to do so as the vaccination program is rolled out.
"Greg (Hunt) talked about putting shoulders to the job," he said.
"Today I put my shoulder to the job and that is what I am asking Australians to do, in joining me and all of their fellow Australians as we continue on the successful path we have been on."
Phase 1A of the vaccination program is to begin tomorrow, with up to 1.4 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be given to quarantine workers, frontline healthcare workers and age care staff and residents in the following weeks.
Greg Hunt, Minister for Health, has said he hopes to see 60,000 vaccinations across Australia in the next week.
This would incorporate people from 240 aged care centres and 90 towns and suburbs nationwide from "Alice Springs to Albany to Altona and so many others", he said.