As UK starts Covid-19 vaccination, a William Shakespeare receives the First person to get Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine

 

'Bill' William Shakespeare, 81, receives the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at University Hospital in Coventry, Britain (Reuters)

As the UK starts Covid-19 vaccination, William Shakespeare receives the First person to get Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine

The 81-year-old had the injection at University Hospital Coventry on Tuesday, 20 miles from Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of his namesake

As UK on Tuesday became the first Western country to administer an approved Covid-19 vaccine to its people outside clinical trial, William Shakespeare from Warwickshire in England was one of the first people to receive the vaccine

The 81-year-old had the injection at University Hospital Coventry on Tuesday, 20 miles from Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of his namesake, England's greatest dramatist and poet.

Shakespeare's shot inspired Twitter users, who joked "The Taming of the Flu", "The Two Gentlemen of Corona". Some asked if Margaret Keenan was patient 1A, then was Shakespeare "Patient 2B or not 2B?".

A 90-year-old British grandmother became the first person in a Western country to receive an approved coronavirus vaccine, as Britain rolled out Pfizer-BioNTech's drug in the biggest inoculation drive in its history.

Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, said it was "the best early birthday present" and added: "My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it. If I can have it at 90 then you can have it too."

The over-80s, care home workers and at-risk frontline health and social care staff are first in line to get the jab, on what has been dubbed "V-Day". A second jab is required in 21 days.

Britain last week became the first country to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, raising hopes of a breakthrough in the pandemic, which has killed more than 1.5 million worldwide.

Britain has been one of the worst-affected countries in the world, with more than 61,000 deaths in the outbreak from 1.6 million cases.

Johnson, who spent days in intensive care with Covid-19 earlier this year, called it a "huge step forward in the UK's fight against coronavirus".

The head of the state-run National Health Service in England, Simon Stevens, said it was a "decisive turning point" against the "greatest health challenge" since the NHS was founded in 1948.

Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson called for patience and urged the public to stick to strict social distancing guidelines to prevent a spike in cases, particular as rules are relaxed over Christmas.

Health officials have already run into a logistical headache about how to administer the vaccine to elderly or infirm care home residents.

The vaccine needs to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius (-94 Fahrenheit), leaving hospitals and other medical hubs as the only places able to deal with such ultra-low temperatures.

Regulatory approval for the vaccine was given last Wednesday, sparking a race against time to prepare scores of vaccination centres across the country.

The UK has ordered 40 million doses of the jab -- enough to vaccinate 20 million people -- with 800,000 in the first batch.

Up to four million doses are expected by the end of December.

With agency inputs