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Ninety-Year-Old Woman Becomes First Person To Receive COVID-19 Vaccine In UK

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At 90 years old, Margaret Keenan has made history to become the first person to be publicly given Pzifer’s COVID-19 vaccine in the UK.

The shot is part of a mass vaccination programme being rolled out in the UK, the BBC reported, with Keenan, who turns 91 next week, saying it was the “best early birthday present”.

The UK is the first country to use the approved vaccine, and it was administered at the University Hospital in Coventry.

“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.

Up to four million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech-produced vaccine are expected to be rolled out in the UK by the end of December, with hubs springing up across Britain to vaccinate over-80s as well as some health care staff first.

Malta is set to receive 1.6 million doses of potential vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca, the three most advanced vaccine candidates. 

If the European Medicines Authority approves them as safe and effective, the first batches of Pfizer vaccine are set to arrive at the start of January and the first batches of Moderna vaccine at the start of February.

No timeline has been set on the AstraZeneca vaccine but Fearne said the EMA could approve it in February or March.

Similar to the UK, healthcare workers, elderly care home staff and residents, mental care home staff and residents and everyone over 85 will be the first to receive the vaccine in January. The second batch will include everyone over 80 and all other front-liners and the third batch will include everyone suffering from chronic illnesses, everyone over 70 and school and childcare centre workers. 

Cover photo: Screenshot from the BBC

Are you looking forward to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in Malta?

READ NEXT: WATCH: Malta’s New Finance Minister Sceptical Of COVID-19 ‘Vaccine Certificates’

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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