LONDON, (Reuters) – A 90-year-old grandmother became the world’s first person to receive a fully-tested COVID-19 shot yesterday, as Britain began mass-vaccinating its people in a global drive that poses one of the biggest logistical challenges in peacetime history.
Health workers started inoculating the most vulnerable with the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, with the country a test case for the world as it contends with distributing a compound that must be stored at -70C (-94F).
Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 in a week, was the first to receive the shot, at a hospital in Coventry, central England.
“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 (this) year,” she said.
Pfizer received another boost when the U.S. regulator’s staff raised no new safety or efficacy issues.
The launch of the vaccine, one of three shots that have reported successful results from large trials, will stir hope that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against a pandemic that has killed more than 1.5 million people.
Britain, the worst-hit in Europe with over 61,000 deaths, is the first Western nation to begin mass vaccinations and the first globally to administer the Pfizer/BioNTech shot.
But despite the relief of people receiving the first of the two-dose regimen, they will have to wait three weeks for their second shot, and there is no evidence immunisation will reduce transmission of the virus.
“It will gradually make a huge, huge difference. But I stress gradually, because we’re not there yet. We haven’t defeated this virus yet,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he expected millions to be vaccinated by the end of the year, and described the start of the drive as “V-Day”. But he cautioned people should respect social-distancing rules until spring at least, when he hoped the most vulnerable people would be vaccinated.
Britain has ordered enough supplies of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot to vaccinate 20 million people in the country of 67 million. The developers said it was 95% effective in preventing illness in final-stage trials.
Russia and China have both already started giving domestically produced vaccine candidates to their populations, though before final safety and efficacy trials have been completed.
In Britain, about 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week, with care-home residents and carers, the over-80s and some health workers prioritised. Hancock said he had a “high degree of confidence” Britain would take delivery of another batch of the vaccine next week.
“I know we’re absolutely bursting at the doors with COVID patients, so I more than anybody want it to happen quickly,” said Ami Jones, a hospital intensive-care consultant from Wales who received the jab before going to work.
