90-year-old first to receive covid vaccine shot

Jubilee News Desk

In what could be said as an optimistic piece of information about covid infection, Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old woman, is the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine outside of any trial. With this UK began rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

“I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19,” said Keenan was reported to be saying after the vaccination. Keenan received the jab at her local hospital in Coventry, central England, a week before she turns 91.

“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,” she was quoted by the news agency.

Margaret Keenan, the former jewellery shop assistant, received the shot at University Hospital Coventry at 6:31 am. Wearing a surgical mask and a blue Merry Christmas T-shirt decorated with a cartoon penguin wearing a Santa hat and red scarf, she was on the chair while getting the vaccine.

A video of her getting the shot also went viral. Priority for the coronavirus vaccine will initially be given to front-line staff on the National Health Service (NHS) and the over 80s before being rolled out to other segments of the public in UK.

Public health officials have asked the public to be patient because only those who are most at risk from the virus will be vaccinated in the early stages. “Today is just the first step in the largest vaccination program this country has ever seen,” said Simon Stevens, head of England’s National Health Service.

While the vaccine has been widely welcomed and is seen as a giant relief after months of death and uncertainty caused due to the pandemic. However, there is scepticism about how successful it will be, particularly as it needs to be stored and transported at the ultra-low temperature.