WATCH | MARGARET KEENAN (90) FIRST PERSON IN THE WORLD TO RECEIVE PFIZER-BIONTECH JAB

Tue 08 December 2020:

A 90-year-old woman, Margaret Keenan has become become the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine outside of a trial following its rapid clinical approval.

The former jewellery shop assistant who retired four years ago turns 91 next week.

“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,” said Keenan, who has a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.

90-year-old #MargaretKeenan is the first to receive the #PfizerBioNTech vaccine, on Tuesday morning at a hospital in Coventry, #UK pic.twitter.com/Gofsb3UhT4

— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) December 8, 2020

An early riser, Keenan received the jab at her local hospital in Coventry, central England, on Tuesday morning at 06:31 GMT, a week before she turns 91.

The UK began rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, dubbed “V-Day”, the first Western country to start vaccinating its general population in what was hailed as a decisive watershed in defeating the coronavirus.

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, usually reserved, said he felt “quite emotional”, adding that 70 hospitals in the country would start the vaccine programme.

The mass inoculation will raise hope that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against a pandemic that has crushed economies and killed more than 1.5 million, although ultra-cold storage and tricky logistics will limit its use for now.

The UK has recorded 61,000 COVID-19 related deaths – more than any other country has reported in Europe, and over 1.7 million cases.