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At 6:31 am GMT early riser Maggie was given the life-saving jab by nurse May Parsons at her native hospital in Coventry to mark what the National Health Service (NHS) has dubbed a “landmark moment” on V-Day or Vaccine Day in the combat towards the lethal virus.
“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,” stated Maggie, who turns 91 subsequent week.
The former jewelry store assistant who retired 4 years in the past has a daughter, a son and 4 grandchildren and is trying ahead to having the ability to exit once more as soon as she receives the highest-up booster dose 21 days later.
“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,” she stated.
“It’s a huge honour 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,” stated nurse Parsons.
Maggie is among the many first set of individuals contacted in advance by the NHS for the jab primarily based on a pre-decided well being threat standards and can embody 87-year-previous British Indian grandfather of 9 Hari Shukla, who will get his first dose at a hospital in Newcastle.
“I’m so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help,” stated Dr Shukla, a race relations campaigner.
They have been picked primarily based on the factors set by the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation phased rollout primarily based on these on the highest threat of dying from the lethal virus.
People aged 80 and over in addition to care dwelling employees can be first to receive the jab this week, together with NHS employees who’re at larger threat among the many first to receive the “life-saving jab”.
“Today marks a huge step forward in the UK’s fight against coronavirus, as we begin delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the whole country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, members of the public who took part in trials, and the NHS who have worked tirelessly to prepare for rollout,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
However, the UK prime minister struck a note of caution to say that mass vaccination will take time, and therefore there was a need to remain “clear-eyed” about the challenges that remain.
“As the programme ramps up in the weeks and months forward, it’s as vital as ever to preserve to the Covid Winter plan – following the foundations in your space and keep in mind the fundamentals of arms, face and area,” he said.
Since the Pfizer vaccine got the green light from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last week, the NHS said.
Its workers have been working around the clock to manage the huge scale logistical challenge of deploying the vaccine. Over the weekend, hospitals have begun inviting over 80s in for a jab and work with care home providers to book their staff into vaccination clinics.
“We will look again on immediately, V-day, as a key second in our combat again towards this horrible illness, and I’m proud our well being companies throughout the United Kingdom are about to embark on our largest ever vaccination programme,” said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
“With over-80s and frontline well being and care workers receiving their vaccinations from immediately, the entire nation will breathe a collective sigh of reduction as our most weak family members begin to be given safety from the virus.
“Now’s the time to sit tight and remain patient until you get notified by the NHS that it’s time for your vaccination. Until then, protect yourselves and the NHS by continuing to follow local restrictions. We can see light at the end of the tunnel but still have a long way to go,” he said.
The Pfizer/BionTech formula is an mRNA vaccine that uses a tiny fragment of genetic code from the pandemic virus to teach the body how to fight Covid-19 and build immunity.
The MHRA has stressed it has been cleared for mass rollout only after “rigorous” safety tests despite the process being speeded up due to the urgency of finding an effective vaccine against a pandemic that has wreaked havoc around the world.
“Today is simply the first step in the most important vaccination programme this nation has ever seen. It will take some months to full the work as extra vaccine provides turn into out there and till then we should not drop our guard,” stated NHS England chief govt Sir Simon Stevens, as he praised everybody concerned in the first clinically accepted Covid-19 vaccination for “achieving in months what normally takes years”.
(This story has not been edited by Newslivenation workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)