90-year-old woman receives first Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine
She received the first of 80,000 doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that the UK has secured.
90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as the UK begins its mass vaccination programme.
Just a week shy of turning 91, she received the first dose of vaccine at 6:31 GMT on Tuesday at University Hospital, Coventry.
"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," Margaret who, hails from Hailing from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, told media.
Expressing her gratitude to the staff members of the National Health Service (NHS) for taking care of her, she urged others to get vaccinated as well. “If I can have it at 90 then you can have it too," she added.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock reportedly said he was thrilled and delighted to see her receive the first dose of the vaccine.
UK became the first country to roll out Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine earlier this week, following an approval from its Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last week.
With a 95 percent accuracy rate, the UK has bought 40 million doses and started mass immunisation with the most at-risk population. Each person must take two shots to attain complete immunisation.
While Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that getting vaccinated is a step forward in protecting oneself and the country, it is not mandatory for all citizens.
In India, mobile technology will play a huge role in conducting the world’s largest vaccination drive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing India Mobile Congress earlier today.
He visited medical research facilities in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Pune to review the developments of the COVID-19 vaccine in India, last week.