First Man In UK To Be Given Covid Vaccine Is Called William Shakespeare

The first man in the UK to receive the Covid vaccine is called William Shakespeare.

The 81-year-old patient from Warwickshire received the Pfizer/BioNTech jab at University Hospital Coventry this morning (8 December).

BBC health reporter Hugh Pym shared a photograph of Mr Shakespeare just as he was given his first dose of the groundbreaking vaccine.

In a tweet, he said: "Second patient to get the Covid jab at University Hospital Coventry - would you believe it....William Shakespeare from Warwickshire."

He is among the very first patients in the country to receive the immunisation, which will need to be topped up in three weeks time.

Earlier today, a 90-year-old woman called Margaret Keenan became the very first person to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech jab.

The grandmother from Northern Ireland was administered with the first jab at 6.31am today by NHS nurse May Parsons at the same hospital in Coventry as Mr Shakespeare.

The jabs will start to be given to as many people as possible as of today, which Health Secretary Matt Hancock has called 'V Day'.

Mrs Keenan - known as Maggie to her mates - will be 91 next week and only retired from her position at a jewellery shop four years ago.

Naturally, she's glad to have been given the vaccine and hopes that it will allow her to see more of her friends and family, including her daughter, son and four grandchildren.

She said: "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.

"I can't thank May and the NHS staff enough who have looked after me tremendously, and 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 chief executive of NHS England has also reserved praise for those involved in rolling out and development of the vaccination programme.

Sir Simon Stevens said: "Less than a year after the first case of this new disease was diagnosed, the NHS has now delivered the first clinically approved Covid-19 vaccination - that is a remarkable achievement.

"A heartfelt thank you goes to everyone who has made this a reality - the scientists and doctors who worked tirelessly, and the volunteers who selflessly took part in the trials. They have achieved in months what normally takes years.

"My colleagues across the health service are rightly proud of this historic moment as we lead in deploying the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine."