While the rollout of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine officially starts today, the government yesterday created a media opportunity for the press, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, aged care residents and frontline workers all receiving the jab on camera.
Star of the show was Jane Malysiak, an an84-year-old World War II survivor who became the first person in Australia to receive the vaccine.
Sitting alongside Malysiak, ScoMo encouraged the aged care resident to “give [the cameras] ‘V for vaccine'” while holding up the peace sign.
Malysiak initially obliged, before turning her hand around and instead displaying the V sign, this time with her palm facing outwards.
As we know, this hand position has similar connotations to the popular middle finger gesture.
A panicked ScoMo was forced to hide her hand and stop the bungled photo opportunity.
You can see the encounter below.
https://twitter.com/sensorysarah/status/1363405471210606596
On Monday morning, Malysiak continued on the media trail, appearing on Sky News for an interview with Laura Jayes.
She admitted that she “didn’t recognise” the Prime Minister at first, but confirmed that he was “very, very nice”.
Malysiak again struggled with the ‘V for vaccine’ prompt but was able to correctly display it at the culmination of the interview.
She left the viewers with one simple message: “everybody take the vaccine”.
Jane was the first Australian to get the vaccine.
She wants everyone to get the vaccine – and she’s right.
Every Australian who can be vaccinated should get vaccinated.
Let’s do it for Jane. pic.twitter.com/kGu72eh9Qc
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) February 21, 2021
