LONDON – Britain today began the biggest vaccination programme in the country's history, with a 90-year-old grandmother becoming the first person to receive the Covid vaccine produced by Pfizer-BioNTech.
The historic inoculation was given to Margaret Keenan in Coventry, central England.
Keenan said she felt "privileged" to be given the injection, the first of millions expected to be administered over the coming months in one of the world's worst-hit countries.
Britain's start to its vaccination programme came as the virus situation around the world continued to darken, with more than 30 million people in California placed under stay-at-home orders to fight a deepening US crisis.
Even as nations gear up for mass innoculation programmes, worldwide coronavirus infections have surged past 67 million, with more than 1.5 million deaths, and some parts of the world battling worrying spikes in cases.
Britain has hailed the Pfizer-BioNTech jab as a turning point in the fight against the pandemic, and on what has been dubbed "V-Day", people rolled up their sleeves for an initial dose from early this morning.
"I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19," Keenan, 90, told reporters.
"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."
Britain's second jab reportedly went to a man named William Shakespeare.
The over-80s, care home workers, and at-risk health and social care staff will be at the front of the line for the jabs.
The British public has been largely supportive of the rapid approval of the vaccine, but ministers and health professionals are aware they still need to combat mistrust.
"My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it," said Keenan. "If I can have it at 90 then you can have it, too." – AFP, December 8, 2020
