Double protection in the Sia household thanks to Phase 1b vaccine roll-out

Josh and Aaron Sia

RBWH Senior House Officer Joshua Sia and his brother Aaron share more than just a last name. Living under the same roof, they’ve spent many anxious evenings together after Josh has finished a shift in the RBWH Fever Clinic or infectious diseases ward while the COVID-19 vaccine has been in development.

Now, thanks to RBWH’s successful roll-out, Josh has been fully vaccinated, and Aaron has also received his first jab of Pfizer in the last week. In Phase 1b, frontline staff can offer vaccination to their close contacts to increase protection at home.

For Josh, it’s a welcome relief after almost a year and a half of navigating social distancing and careful uniform washing at home.

“There was lots of uncertainty about COVID-19 early last year, when I was working in the fever clinic, and my family were pretty worried,” Josh said.

“In these early stages, testing would take 2-3 days to return a result, so while I may have swabbed someone infectious, we wouldn’t know for days after if I could be affected – although the risk was very low with PPE.

“I’d do my washing separately and try to avoid people in the house to ensure we were distanced.

“It’s such a relief for Aaron to get the Pfizer vaccine here for that added layer of protection, and my parents are about to get the AstraZeneca vaccine too.”

Aaron, 24, works as a dentist and had actually booked in for his AstraZeneca vaccine before the rules regarding under 50s changed.

“He’s very excited to now be partially covered with Pfizer – as soon as I saw the email saying our family members or household contacts were eligible, I sent it to him as I knew he would be very keen,” Josh said.

“This gives us all some more peace of mind at home and while it doesn’t mean we can be careless, it does make everyone feel more comfortable.”

Those working at RBWH in a frontline role can now book in their close household contacts for the vaccine. Visit https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/protect-yourself-others/covid-19-vaccine/book for more information.