Laura Johnson Home has successfully administered the first round of vaccinations to all staff and residents, in an effort to protect them from COVID-19.
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The Mount Isa residential aged care facility administered the Pfizer vaccine to all 60 residents on Wednesday April 14, as part of the national vaccination roll out of Phase 1A.
Medical assistance and healthcare provider, International SOS, travelled to the facility to administer the vaccine to residents, and will return on May 5 to complete the second dose.
Laura Johnson Home Chief Executive Officer Betty Kiernan said residents went through a "lengthy consent process" before receiving the jab.
"We provided information to residents and their families, consulted GPs to ensure there were no concerns about any of our residents having the vaccination and conducted a comprehensive consent process before administering the vaccine," Ms Kiernan said.
"By Wednesday all of our patients had consented, received the vaccine and were assessed by the doctors. All went smoothly and staff monitors all residents certainly for one hour but closely for 48 hours to ensure there were no reactions, and there were none."
Ms Kiernan said everyone at the facility had now received their first jab, including staff who received the AstraZeneca vaccine in March.
"Our staff received the AstraZeneca vaccine from March 17-23 and will return for their next dose in June. Any of our staff that had nominated that they had allergies before receiving the vaccine were independently assessed by doctors and some staff had a minor reaction to the vaccine," she said.
"Everyone at the facility should be completely vaccinated by June."
Ms Kiernan said by completing all vaccinations by June, it would provide protection for residents, however screening measures would remain in place to all visitors entering the home.
"As far as COVID-19 goes and the protection of our residents, despite all of us receiving the vaccine, people can still carry and transmit the disease," she said.
"We will continue to undertake safety measures at the facility including nominated visiting hours and screening everyone who comes into the facility with temperature testing, questions and a number of rules to follow.
"With visitors entering our facility it is not just one person who could become infected, it is 60 residents or 120 residents and staff. It is our job to keep them in a safe environment so we will continue to monitor and make sure full protocols are being adhered to.
"Also as of the May 3, it is mandatory for anyone coming into the facility to have the 2021 flu vaccine.
"Our residents, staff and families are so respectful of what we have in place to keep everyone safe."
READ ALSO: Mount Isa bucks trend for 2020 baby names.
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Samantha Campbell
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
