The United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) launches its biggest vaccine campaign ever, and this grandmother felt “privileged” to have been the first patient to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Margaret Keenan from Coventry received the vaccine jab that has been clinically approved to be used.
This 90-year-old plans to have a small family gathering for Christmas, having been isolating herself for the rest of the year like everybody else.
As the procedure goes, Margaret will be receiving another shot after 21 days to ensure the chances of her being protected by the virus stay high.
“I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19, it’s the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the New Year after being on my own for most of the year,” Mrs. Keenan said, known to family and friends as Maggie, received the jab at 6.31 am from nurse May Parsons at her local hospital in Coventry.
Mrs. Keenas moved to the U.K from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, and has lived there since.
This woman, who was given the jab by nurse May Parsons at her local hospital, added: “I can’t thank May and the NHS staff enough who have looked after me tremendously, and my advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it – if I can have it at 90 then you can have it too.”
It comes as Boris Johnson today branded the coronavirus vaccine a “shot in the arm for the entire nation” and told people who are scared, “don’t be”.
Mr. Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, also slammed anti-vaxxers as “totally wrong” and insisted the Pfizer jab – which the UK is the first country in the world to approve for mass rollout – is safe.
“I would say to all those who are scared, don’t be. There’s nothing to be nervous about.
“It will gradually make a huge, huge difference, but I stress ‘gradually’ because we are not there yet, we have not defeated this virus yet. We can’t afford to relax now.”
Jabs will be administered at dozens of hospital hubs across the country from today – dubbed “V-Day” by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Mr. Hancock said the start of the roll-out of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine meant there was “finally” a “way through” the coronavirus crisis.
He told Sky News: “I’m feeling quite emotional actually watching those pictures.
“It has been such a tough year for so many people and finally we have our way through it – our light at the end of the tunnel as so many people are saying.
“And just watching Margaret there – it seems so simple having a jab in your arm, but that will protect Margaret and it will protect the people around her.
“And if we manage to do that in what is going to be one of the biggest programs in NHS history, if we manage to do that for everybody who is vulnerable to this disease then we can move on.”
First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said she “got a lump in her throat” watching a video of the first Covid-19 vaccination being administered.
She tweeted: “Feels like such a milestone moment after a tough year for everyone. The first vaccines in Scotland will be administered today too.”
NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens praised all those involved in delivering the new vaccine program.
“Less than a year after the first case of this new disease was diagnosed, the NHS has now delivered the first clinically approved Covid-19 vaccination – that is a remarkable achievement,” Sir Simon said.
“A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who has made this a reality – the scientists and doctors who worked tirelessly, and the volunteers who selflessly took part in the trials.”They have achieved in months what normally takes years.
“My colleagues across the health service are rightly proud of this historic moment as we lead in deploying the PfizerBioNTech vaccine.
“I also want to thank Margaret, our first patient to receive the vaccine on the NHS.
“Today is just the first step in the largest vaccination program this country has ever seen.”It will take some months to complete the work as more vaccine supplies become available and until then we must not drop our guard.
“But if we all stay vigilant in the weeks and months ahead, we will be able to look back at this as a decisive turning point in the battle against the virus.”
The nurse from the campaign, May Parsons had also said that it was a “huge honor” to be the first in the country delivering the jab to a patient.
Speaking at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, she said: “It’s a huge honor to be the first person in the country to deliver a Covid-19 jab to a patient, I’m just glad that I’m able to play a part in this historic day.
“The last few months have been tough for all of us working in the NHS, but now it feels like there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
This campaign will see patients aged 80 and above as their first stage of the vaccination program because they are at a higher risk of contracting it due to their weakening immune system.
The staff from care homes will also be booked to receive the vaccine.
During the next stages, care home residents and healthcare workers will also be next in the list – these groups will be prioritized to ensure their safety from being in a dangerous and exposed situation.
The vaccine would have complications to be delivered to patients, as it must be stored at -70C before being thawed out and can only be moved four times within that cold chain ahead of use.
More patients from other groups will soon receive the vaccine after the early stages are complete.
Source: Mirror UK
