The UK's mass coronavirus vaccination program has officially begun, with the drug developed by Pfizer and BioNTech injected into the shoulder of a 90-year-old grandmother called Margaret Keenan.
Key points:
- The UK will be the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
- Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine
- The vaccine vials have to be shipped at extremely cold temperatures
She received the injection during an appointment at her local hospital in Coventry in central England.
"I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against COVID-19," Ms Keenan said.
"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."
About 800,000 doses are expected to be administered at 70 hospitals in the coming days, less than a week after Britain became the first Western nation to approve a vaccine against COVID-19.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the deployment of the vaccine meant there was "light at the end of the tunnel" for Britain, which has recorded more than 60,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
"We will look back on today, V-day, as a key moment in our fightback against this terrible disease," he said.
Britain has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine, just enough for about a third of the population as two shots of the drug are needed per person to gain immunity.
The rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be closely watched around the world because of the complicated steps required to store, distribute and administer the drug.
The logistical challenges of the Pfizer vaccine
The vaccine needs to be shipped and stored at -70C or below. Once thawed, the vial can be kept for up to five days in a refrigerator.
It needs to be injected into a patient's shoulder twice over a three-week period.
The manufacturers said patients should only experience mild side effects after receiving the injection, and they should usually last for a day or so.
Once it becomes widely available, the vaccine will not be compulsory in Britain.
Britain has the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to turn the tide against the disease by rolling out the vaccine before the United States or EU.
"Today marks a huge step forward in the UK's fight against coronavirus," he said.
"As the program ramps up in the weeks and months ahead, it is as important as ever to keep to the COVID winter plan: Follow the rules in your area and remember the basics of hands, face and space."
Russia and China have both started giving vaccine candidates to their populations before final safety and efficacy trials have been completed.
The Australian Government said the emergency approval of a COVID-19 vaccine in Britain was an "important step for the world" but vaccinations against coronavirus in Australia will not start until March 2021.
ABC/Reuters
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2020-12-08 07:04:00Z
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