Its the honour of my life. I feel honoured and privileged to be able to do it.
Dr Li said he administered 10 or 11 shots among the first 20 people who volunteered. The group included Mr Morrison, Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, army and Border Force personnel, and aged care residents and nurses.
Dr Li, right, holding the vaccine vials. Credit:Edwina Pickles
Dr Li works in Sydneys hotel quarantine program and helped the Dorothy Henderson Lodge during the nursing home outbreak last March.
Its been a crazy ride, he said. Hopefully todays the turn of events in the pandemic and the beginning of the end.
Aged care nurse Monika Kurdziel was fourth in line for the vaccine and described the shot as pain-free.
I was nervous, dont get me wrong, she said.
Ms Kurdziel was shocked at the amount of media coverage as about 100 people jammed in the waiting area.
Aged care nurse Monika Kurdziel said she was a bit nervous before getting her voluntary vaccine. Credit:Edwina Pickles
Its a bit of a circus, Im not going to lie. Im not used to this much publicity, she said. But I can understand this is a historic moment for Australia, for the community. Its very interesting to see this happen in front of your eyes.
Ms Kurdziel said there was a bit of discussion between some of her friends and family members about whether they will receive the vaccine.
Some are more hesitant than others, she said. Its a personal choice and at the end of the day its their decision and you just have to respect that.
Jane Malysiak, 84, was the first person among the group to get the vaccine.
Jane Malysiak recieved Australias first COVID-19 vaccination.Credit:Edwina Pickles
I didnt expect such a lot of people, she said. I just thought theyll do the jab and take two pictures and that would be it. My poor boys, they dont know I am here today because I havent told them. So when they put the TV on [they will get a shock].
Fellow aged care resident Laurel Gray, 88, said she didnt know how she was chosen to be among the first to get the shot.
We were just asked. Well, I volunteered I suppose, she said.
I thought I was just coming in and having a needle and going. It was quite a big thing!
Defence Force corporal Christopher Oakes, who has worked in hotel quarantine and repatriation since March last year, said he wouldnt change the way he lived his life despite now having the vaccine.
Its like armour your armour is only as good as the weakest link. Its just an extra level of that, so its another level of protection, he said.
Joseph Goral, 80, said the nursing home staff asked him if he wanted to get the vaccine so he agreed.
I got [a] flu shot every year so this injection for the virus [is] not much different, he said.
No cases of locally acquired coronavirus were reported on Sunday across the country. For NSW this marked five weeks with no community transmission.