A quarantine worker at Howard Springs has been among the first Northern Territorians to receive a COVID-19 vaccine shot.

February 22, 2021

A health specialist working with quarantining travellers has been among the first Northern Territorians to roll up her sleeve for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Occupational therapist Erica Bleakley said receiving the Pfizer jab at Royal Darwin Hospital was exciting and a relief, and “didn’t hurt at all”.

“It’s a good day for those us working in international quarantine because it’s something that’s always playing on your mind,” she told reporters on Monday.

“The needle was tiny so it all went well.”

Ms Bleakley said there had been numerous positive virus cases among the returning Australians isolating at the Howard Springs quarantine facility.

“So knowing we’re more protected but also that we’re less likely to be spreading it through the community is important and takes down some of our anxiety,” she said.

NT Health expects to vaccinate about 800 people over the next week.

The Territory’s quarantine and border control workers, and hospital and health care workers in high-risk environments will be the first to receive the jab.

Health Minister Natasha Fyles said it was important that Territorians know the vaccine is safe and effective.

“If people want to go back to what life was like before COVID-19, the vaccine is the most important tool in doing so,” she said.

Ms Fyles said the vaccine had also been transported to Alice Springs with the first vaccinations set to be administered on Tuesday.

“Then we start to work on rolling it out to other regional areas,” she said.

About 4500 Territorians will be vaccinated under the first phase of the rollout using the Pfizer vaccine.

Two boxes of about 1000 doses arrived in Darwin on Sunday.

The Commonwealth’s next vaccine allocation should allow NT Health to deliver the second dose to the first recipients about 21 days after they received their first shot.

The next phase is expected to start mid-to-late March and includes health workers not initially vaccinated.

Others to be vaccinated include police, firefighters, emergency workers, defence personnel.

Territorians aged 70 and over, Indigenous Australians over 55, meat processing workers and young adults with medical conditions or a disability will also receive the jab.

Most Territorians are expected to be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca in the second half of the year.

Its less-extreme refrigeration requirements are also likely to see it used in remote communities.