A 90-year-old grandma from the UK has become the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, according to reports.
Margaret Keenan, formerly of Northern Ireland, was given the jab at 6:31 a.m. this morning (Tuesday, December 8) at a hospital in Coventry, England.
Margaret, known by her friends as Maggie, will turn 91 next week, and retired from her job working in a jewellery store four years ago.
She’s become the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 virus outside of a clinical trial. The grandma of four described it as “a privilege” and “the best early birthday present I could wish for”.
She now hopes she’ll be able to spend more time with her family and friends in the New Year after having been forced to self-isolate and stay inside for much of 2020.
“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,” she said.
The UK became the first country in the world to green light the Pfizer vaccine last week, and will begin immunizing people today, starting with care workers and those aged over 80.
To date, COVID-19 has accounted for more than 1.5 million deaths globally, including 284,000 in the US alone.
To anyone doubting the safety of the new vaccine, Margaret added: “My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it – if I can have it at 90 then you can have it too!”
What fantastic news to hear that the vaccine is up and running and people are now being immunized against COVID-19!
Please, share this article on Facebook if you’re looking forward to a COVID-free world where we can all get back to doing the things we love … together.
