Araceli, 96, the first woman to be vaccinated against Covid in Spain

It was a few minutes after 09:00 when Araceli Hidalgo, 96, made history at the Los Olmos residence in Guadalajara. The elderly woman, the oldest resident of the senior center, has been the first person to receive the coronavirus vaccine in Spain. “Very nervous”, she crossed herself before receiving the prick in front of the cameras. But right away he affirmed that it was “nothing”, just “a little itchy”. After receiving the first dose, she thanked “God” for having been vaccinated.

Araceli has two children, four grandchildren and a great-grandson, and is a native of Guadix (Granada), but has been registered in Guadalajara for 25 years.

After her, Mnica Tapias, a nursing assistant who is the youngest health worker working in the center, received the vaccine. “It is a pride”, said Tapias, who has been working at the center for 10 years and will continue with his working day for the remainder of the day.

“Let’s see if this disease is finally over,” said the health company, which has appealed to the entire population to be vaccinated. “Many people have died, it is a pity that they did not arrive in time for the vaccine,” he lamented.

Mnica and Araceli have been the first people in an immense vaccination campaign to end the coronavirus, which will also begin in the other autonomous communities throughout the day.

The forecast is that in the next 12 weeks the immunization of 2.29 million people against Covid-19 will be completed, which will continue with the rest of the population in a process that will last several months in the 13,000 points that the public health network in Spain.

It is the beginning of the end. Today they are just fulfilled 291 days from March 11, when the WHO declared the pandemic.

The vaccines entered through a side door of Los Olmos at 8:13 this Sunday. At the main gate, a police device made up of four cars was deployed from early in the morning, between local and national police, as well as the Civil Guard barracks that are a few meters from Los Olmos. The perimeter was as armored as the warehouse where Pfizer keeps its doses in Spain, less than 10 kilometers from this residence.

Marina Vadillo, director of the Los Olmos residence, appeared before the media that gathered at the door minutes after Araceli received the first vaccine. “She is very well, having a quiet breakfast. And Monica too, working. Neither of them had passed the Covid before,” said Vadillo.

In this center, according to its director, about 98% of the workers and “a very, very high percentage of the residents will be vaccinated.” Specifically 87.2%. Asked by those who chose not to sign the consent, Vadillo explained: “Everything is respected. The beliefs of the elderly are very important and must be respected“.

Despite the urgency of the administration and the distribution of vaccines, from Los Olmos they assure that “it has been done very quickly but very well” in these three days “thanks to the coordination”. After thanking the presence of the media that gave voice to this “very important event, of which we are very proud for having been the first”, Vadillo emphasized the importance of vaccines: “We must continue with them.”

The President of the Government, Pedro Snchez, has indicated on his Twitter account that the vaccination of Araceli and Mnica this Sunday represents “a new hopeful stage.”

“A day for emotion and confidence. Spain begins vaccination against Covid-19 thanks to the strength of its SNS and thousands of professionals who will guarantee a fast, solvent and equitable process,” he commented.