A 90-year-old woman on Tuesday became the first person in the Western world to receive so official and the covid vaccine manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech is not in the testing phase, as part of the vaccination program that began this Tuesday in the United Kingdom. Margaret Keenan, who has been vaccinated at Coventry University Hospital, has assured before the BBC cameras that she felt “privileged” for being the first vaccinated in the West outside of clinical trial programs. It was a move conscientiously prepared by the Government of Boris Johnson to convince the most skeptical British of the need to immunize when their turn comes. Keenan, who wore a T-shirt that said “Merry Christmas”, has assured: “If I can wear it at 90, anyone can.”
Conservative UK tabloids have added to the enthusiasm by naming this Tuesday “V-Day” (V for vaccine, but also the historic V for victory). The second patient to receive the vaccine was, ironically, William Shakespeare, an 81-year-old man from the town of Warwichshire.
People over 80 years of age and those who are part of the health and care staff will be the first to receive the doses within the British vaccination campaign. Logistical problems, such as preventing theft and keeping refrigerators at -70 degrees Celsius, have prevented treatment from beginning in nursing homes. During the first days it will be 50 hospitals spread throughout the country (seven of them in London) that will begin to provide injections.
The United Kingdom last Wednesday became the first country in the world to authorize the use of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, after its creators assured that the injection is 95% effective against covid-19. The Johnson Administration has ordered 40 million doses, which will reach 20 million citizens.
