The fight against COVID-19 has taken a major step forward after the vaccine developed by Pfizer was given to someone outside a clinical trial for the first time.
A 90-year-old woman patient by the name Margaret Keenan has become the first person in the world to receive the jab as part of a vaccination programme.
Mrs Keenan, a grandmother of four, was given the vaccine by nurse May Parsons at the city’s University Hospital on 8th, December 2020.6.31 am.
She said that being the first person to receive the vaccine was “a privilege” and an early birthday present she could wish for as it would mean she could spend time with her family and friends in the New Year after being on her own for most of the year.
Thanking her doctor, Mrs Parsons, Mrs Keenan also thanked other National Health Service staff for looking after her carefully.
She advises others who will be offered the vaccine to willingly take it.
“If I can have it at 90 then you can have it too!” she said
The vaccine was developed by Pfizer Inc. — an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation in the United sates.
The United Kingdom has become the first country in the world to approve the vaccine, paving the way for mass vaccination. It’s said to have an efficiency of up to 95% .
Who will get the vaccine fast?
According to The UK government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Care, home residents and their carers are top of the list to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the UK. But the head of the NHS has said most of them will have to wait to get their jabs with age being the single most important factor.
