Manchester marks one year anniversary since first Covid vaccine
Frontline workers were some of the first to get the vaccine
Last updated 8th Dec 2021
The UK is marking one year since it became the first country in the world to approve Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine.
Margaret Keenan made headlines across the globe on 8th December 2020 when she was administered her first dose at the University Hospital in Coventry.
The then 90-year-old grandmother received a Pfizer/BioNTech jab and since then the UK has marked over 100 million vaccinations.
Stockport nurse amongst the first
Frontline workers were among the first to be vaccinated, including Polly Begum, a nursing sister at Stockport's Stepping Hill Hospital.
"I initially didn't realise that I was the first person", said Polly.
"It was just a call, I thought I was just going to have my vaccine and when I got there I was the first person. It was upsetting, there were emotions of grief, emotions of happiness. It was a generally overwhelming feeling.
"Not being able to support my colleagues at work I felt a bit hopeless if I'm being honest. I could see that there was a lot of my work colleagues, one of them in particular was hospitalised. There was a lot of mixed emotions going on at that time.
Polly has lost family members to COVID, but getting vaccinated has helped her deal with the grief.
She added: "I know part of my grief I find that a healing moment has been knowing that there is a cure, there's closure. We're preventing a lot more deaths from this disease."
First person to be vaccinated
Margaret Keenan, who a year ago became the first person to have a Covid jab, has urged people to get a vaccination.
The grandmother, who has also already also had her booster and flu jabs, described being a global name as "wonderful".
The 91-year-old from Coventry said:
"The best Christmas present I could have is being in good health and having had the jab and feeling free from this horrible virus."
Margaret - known as Maggie - was speaking at UHCW, the place where a year ago, to the day, on December 8 last year, she became the first person to have a jab as part of a mass vaccine rollout.
Looking back on the historic jab, Margaret - a mother of two and grandmother of four from Coventry in the West Midlands - said:
"It felt great, honestly, I could not believe that things went so well, afterwards.
"At the time I wasn't feeling good but once I got that jab and things started to be better, so I had a wonderful year - thanks to the NHS."
Learn more about the coronavirus vaccines:
What is the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine?
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for use in the UK on 2 December 2020. Britain was the first country in the world to approve the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19. Pfizer is an American pharmaceutical firm while BioNTech is a German biotechnology company. The vaccine is very delicate and has to be stored at -70 degrees, limiting the number of sites that can administer the jab.
What is the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine?
A vaccine developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca became the second vaccine approved for UK use on 30 December 2020. This vaccine was considered "the way out" of the pandemic in the UK, thanks to the fact it is easier to store than the Pfizer jab, making it well equipped for mass roll out. GPs and vaccination centres across the country began administering the jab in early January 2021. Under 30's in the U.K. were given the option to choose a different vaccine to this due to small risks of very rare blood clots. Instead, under-30s would typically choose the Pfizer jab or later, the moderna jab.
What is the Moderna vaccine?
The third vaccine approved for UK use on 8 January 2021 was developed by American firm Moderna. 24-year-old Elle Taylor from Wales became the first person in the UK to receive the Moderna jab in April. The Moderna vaccine is similar to the Pfizer jab in how it works but is even easier to roll out as it can be stored at -20 degrees rather than -70.
What is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine
The fourth vaccine to be be approved in the UK was Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, released under the name Janssen. Notably, It is also the first single shot vaccine in use during this vaccine rollout.
Who was the first person to receive the Pfizer vaccine?
90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first patient in the world to be vaccinated against Covid-19 outside a clinical trial. She received her jab on 8 December 2020 at Coventry's University Hospital. Mrs Keenan, who lives in Coventry, became somewhat of a fashion influencer after the charity t-shirt she wore to her vaccination appointment sold out. Profits went towards buying Christmas presents for hospital patients. The grandmother advised everyone who was offered the vaccine to take it, saying "If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too."
Who was the first person to receive the Oxford vaccine?
Meanwhile, Brian Pinker from Oxford was first to receive the AstraZeneca jab outside of a clinical trial at the age of 82. Mr Pinker, who was vaccinated on 4 January 2021, praised the medical teams administering the vaccine, saying it would allow him to "really look forward" to celebrating his 48th wedding anniversary with wife Shirley later on in the year.
When will I receive the vaccine?
Vaccines were offered according to vulnerability levels. First to be offered the jab were people in care homes and their carers, followed by those over 80 and health and social care workers. People aged 65 and above were next on the priority list and then high-risk adults under the age of 65 followed by moderate risk adults under 65. The vaccine was then rolled out by age group.
How will I know when it's my turn to get vaccinated?
When it is your turn to receive the vaccination, you will be informed by the NHS. You should only attend vaccination sites if you have been told to do so. Vaccines are provided for free by the NHS and they will never ask for bank details. Find out more about vaccine scams here.
What is a vaccine passport?
The Government debate the idea of a vaccine passport as proof of full vaccination required to enter venues like nightclubs. Health Secretary Sajid Javid later "ditched" the idea and ensured clubbers that they no longer need to be double jabbed by the end of September 2021 to get into Nightclubs or big events.
Do I need a booster jab?
Pfizer/BioNTech booster jabs are rolled out as part of the Government's winter covid plan. Shots can be given to people aged 50 and over, those in care homes and frontline health and social care workers. All those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and anyone aged 16 to 65 in an at-risk group for Covid will also be eligible for a jab. There must be at least 6 months between a 2nd vaccine dose and a booster jab.
Oxford jab scientist Sarah Gilbert says booster jabs are "not needed for all" and that they should instead go to countries with low vaccination rates.
Will children be vaccinated?
The government have also made vaccines available to children aged between 12-15 as part of the country's winter Covid plan.
What about five to 11-year-olds getting vaccinated?
All 5 to 11-year-olds in England can now receive a coronavirus jab, following advice from the JCVI and the same decision being made in Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is also expanding their vaccination programme to include the 5-11 age range. It means almost six million children in the UK will be offered the Covid-19 vaccination.