Ms Phillingham was the first public aged care resident to receive the vaccination in the Goulburn Valley as part of GV Health’s vaccination program.
She was the first of the facility’s 13 residents to receive the vaccine, administered by GV Health’s vaccination outreach team.
The director of nursing at GV Health in Tatura, Lisa Wait, said the process had been a positive one, with all residents and their families eager to receive the vaccine.
“There was a real buzz and feeling of excitement today as our 13 residents were vaccinated,” she said.
“Well done to our resident Deanne Phillingham for leading the way.
“It’s wonderful to know that the COVID-19 vaccine will help us to keep our doors open for our residents and their families.”
Ms Phillingham said she had only been a resident of Parkvilla for a short time after moving into the facility about 12 months ago, having become unwell with pneumonia.
After contracting pneumonia for the second time, Ms Phillingham said her health had come a long way since she had fully recovered.
A Tatura local for the past 45 years, Ms Phillingham said she had settled into the facility now and felt very much in the spotlight while receiving the first COVID-19 vaccination at Parkvilla.
About 640 aged care residents across 20 public aged care facilities in the GV Health vaccine hub catchment area will be vaccinated under the GV Health COVID-19 vaccination program.
GV Health COVID-response executive manager Alicia Cunningham said GV Health was proud to start COVID-19 vaccinations at Parkvilla.
“Not only is this our first public aged care facility to have received vaccinations, it is also our first outreach location in the GV Health vaccine hub to have begun the vaccine program,” she said.
Ms Cunningham said the team would vaccinate aged care residents at GV Health’s other residential aged care facilities, Grutzner House in Shepparton and Waranga Aged Care Hostel and Nursing Home in Rushworth, in the coming days.
“This will be followed soon afterwards with vaccinations at aged care facilities at NCN Health and Kyabram District Health Service,” she said.
“Now that our mobile outreach team is established, we will continue to provide COVID-19 vaccine services until all of the public aged care residents have been offered and received the vaccine in our catchment area.”
11°C