British Woman Becomes First Person In The World To Get Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine

A 90-year-old British woman has become the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

Margaret Keenan, who will celebrate her 91st birthday next week, told the BBC it was the "best early birthday present".

She received her injection at 06:31 GMT, which means Margaret is the first person out of the 800,000 Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines that will be administered in the coming weeks.

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She added: "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.

"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."

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Matron May Parsons administered Margaret's vaccine at University Hospital in Coventry.

The UK is the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its usage last week.

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There are 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that have been secured by the government. Orders have been placed for 40 million in total which is enough for 20 million people. This is because two courses are needed.

The vaccine, which is reported to have an efficacy rate of 95 per cent, was green-lit by health regulator MHRA for use.

Last week Health Secretary Matt Hancock wrote on Twitter: "The MHRA has formally authorised the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19. The NHS stands ready to start vaccinating early next week.

"The UK is the first country in the world to have a clinically approved vaccine for supply.

"Help is on the way."

Most of the doses ordered are not expected to become available until next year however the government sources have said another four million doses are expected to arrive in the country by the end of the year.

More to follow...

Topics: News, Coronavirus, Covid-19

Gregory Robinson

Gregory is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, he has worked for both print and online publications and is particularly interested in TV, (pop) music and lifestyle. He loves Madonna, teen dramas from the 90s and prefers tea over coffee. Get in touch [email protected]

@GregoryJourno