Vivien Latimer, who celebrates her fourteenth year living in Griffith this week, received a third shot at John Dodds pharmacy on October 12. She said she had heard the news that they were available, and immediately consulted her specialist who recommended she book in for a jab.

"It was totally painless and I feel relieved," she said.

"I'm on immunosuppressive therapy for multiple sclerosis, people know that. It was announced on Friday, it was all in the news so I investigated and spoke to my specialist about it."

Mrs Latimer spoke about her extended family in London, which currently has over a million reported cases of COVID-19.

She said that having such close connections to areas where the pandemic is at it's nastiest inspired her to motivate others to get vaccinated as well.

"My parents are 88 and they live in London. There are 2000 people getting it per day over there but my parents have just been on holiday. They had masks, they had vaccines," she explained.

"I think if my mum and dad can manage in London with the vaccine, that proves how effective it is."

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She added that she had a great-aunt who died after contracting COVID-19, and a nephew in his 20s who was hospitalised after contracting the disease, giving her first-hand experience seeing the effects of the virus.

Sean Dodd, who administered the vaccine, said that they weren't encouraging people who had already been vaccinated to get a third shot, and that anyone who should get one should be consulting with their specialist.

"We're not encouraging people to come for boosters, just people who are immunocompromised to speak to a specialist and get a letter ... Anyone who should get it definitely already has a specialist they talk to."

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