SA premier defends his early vaccine shot

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has defended his decision to be among the first in SA to get the COVID-19 vaccine, describing it as a show of confidence in its safety. 
Mr Marshall was administered the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, along with Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, Health Minister Stephen Wade and Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier.


There has been some criticism of political leaders getting the jab early amid the initial limited supply.
But the premier said the advice he received was that it was important to show confidence in the safety of the vaccine.
"We can't expect other people in the community to have the vaccine if we're not prepared to do it ourselves," he told reporters on Tuesday.


"So it was really a public demonstration that it

is safe, and that we were encouraging everybody to roll up their sleeves and do the right thing by the rest of the community."
 Health officials said side effects could be similar to those often experienced by people who received the annual influenza vaccine, including possible localised tenderness, a mild temperature and general feeling of being a little unwell.
Mr Marshall said he had experienced some slight tenderness in his shoulder but had no other reaction.