Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine: 90-year-old British Woman is the First to Receive the Vaccine Shot

Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandmother from Britain, has become the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine outside of a trial following its rapid clinical approval.

Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, has become the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

She was administered the vaccine at 06:31 GMT - the first of 800,000 doses of the vaccine that is expected to be dispensed in the coming weeks. By the end of the month up to four million more are expected.

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‘Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old grandmother from Britain, has become the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine outside of a trial following its rapid clinical approval.’

The UK government plans to vaccinate over-80s and some health and care staff as a part of the mass vaccination program.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, said “this simple act of vaccination was a tribute to scientific endeavour and human ingenuity and to the hard work of so many people. Today marks the start of the fightback against our common enemy, the coronavirus."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited Margaret Keenan and said, "It is really very moving to hear her say she is doing it for Britain, which is exactly right - she is protecting herself but also helping to protect the entire country," Mr Johnson said.getting vaccinated was "good for you and good for the whole country".

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Ms Keenan said, "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. My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it. If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too."

William Shakespeare, 81, from Warwickshire, became the second person vaccinated in Coventry who said he was "pleased" to be given the jab and hospital staff had been "wonderful".

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Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

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Earlier this month, the United Kingdom became the first western country to grant a temporary authorization for emergency use for the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2), against coronavirus.

“This is the first Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) following a worldwide Phase 3 trial of a vaccine to help fight the pandemic. Pfizer and BioNTech are anticipating further regulatory decisions across the globe in the coming days and weeks and are ready to deliver vaccine doses following potential regulatory authorisations or approvals. The distribution of the vaccine in the UK will be prioritised according to the populations identified in guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI),” Pfizer had said.

Two doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are required for full immunity.

Day 1 - 1st vaccine dose.
Day 12 - Start to build immunity.
Day 21 - 2nd vaccine dose.
Day 28 - Full immunity.

Throughout Tuesday morning, patients and health workers at some 50 hospitals around the UK have been getting the injection:

In Northern Ireland, sister Joanna Sloan received the first vaccine. Sister Joanna will also head up the vaccine rollout in Belfast.
In Wales, Craig Atkins, 48, from Ebbw Vale, became the first person to get the jab.
In Scotland, consultant anesthetist Dr. Katie Stewart was among the first people to get the vaccine.

Source-Medindia