Young Hume locals urge community to get vaccinated

Published on 29 October 2021

COVID Couple

Roxburgh Park locals Jimi and Emmaly Leggett have spoken to Hume City Council about the devastating symptoms they suffered after contracting COVID-19.

The couple – both aged 30 – contracted COVID-19 in late August while doing their weekly grocery shop, after forgetting to organise their usual online delivery.

In the days after the exposure both suffered a variety of COVID-19 symptoms including fever, coughing up blood, diarrhea, exhaustion, headaches, and difficulty breathing.

Of particular worry, Emmaly was hospitalised for a week and a half and spent five days in a medically induced coma.

We only became eligible for vaccination the week before contracting COVID-19 so we were unvaccinated at the time,” Mr Leggett said.

Both Jimi and Emmaly have since made a recovery, but the ongoing effects of the virus remain a constant struggle.

“We both suffer lingering exhaustion and energy management issues, shortness of breath,” the couple said.

The couple are now looking forward to what the future holds once they can get vaccinated and when life fully returns to normal.

“We can’t wait to see our friends and family, and eventually go to some live music events,” they said.

“We would not wish what we went through on anyone – get vaccinated!”

Meanwhile Hume City has proudly risen to the vaccine challenge with 20,609 of locals receiving their second COVID-19 dose in the last seven days alone – the highest rise of any local government area across Australia.

Current first dose coverage in Hume has risen to 93.7% and double-dose coverage has grown to 69.7% - up 11.4% week on week.

Victorian Chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton said the huge growth in vaccination has seen coronavirus infections rapidly fall across the municipality in the past fortnight.

“Hume now has a 70 per cent double-dose coverage, that’s up from 35 per cent just four weeks ago,” Professor Sutton said.

“That’s reflected in what is happening with the numbers in Hume, with a decrease over the last week or two, it continues to decline and rapidly drop below a hundred cases per day.”

As restrictions ease even further from 6pm tonight, getting vaccinated remains the single best form of protection from the effects of COVID-19.

If you or someone you know hasn’t had their first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine journey there's plenty of appointments available across Hume.

Book your vaccine appointment online, via the Victoria Coronavirus Hotline directly on 1800 675 398 or by speaking to your GP or pharmacist.