Hari Shukla was notified by the NHS based on criteria set out by the UK Joint Committee (FILE)
London:
An 87-year-old man of Indian origin from North East England will become one of the first people in the world to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when he receives his Pfizer / BioNTech injection at a Newcastle hospital on Tuesday.
Hari Shukla of Tyne and Wear said he feels it is his duty to receive his first two-dose vaccine, a time at which British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a “great step forward” as it was dubbed Tuesday ” V-Day “or vaccine. Day in the UK.
“I am very happy that we are hopefully reaching the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to do my bit with the vaccine. I feel like it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help,” said Mr. Shukla.
“Having been in contact with the NHS (National Health Service), I know how hard they work and the utmost respect for them; they have a heart of gold and I am grateful for all they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic., ” he said.
The NHS notified Mr Shukla according to criteria set out by the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization as part of a gradual implementation plan based on those most at risk of death from the deadly virus. People aged 80 and over, homeworkers and NHS workers who are most at risk will be the first to receive the “life-saving blow”.
“Today marks a big step forward in the UK’s fight against coronavirus as we started delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, members of the public who participated in the trials and the NHS, which has worked tirelessly to prepare for the launch, “Johnson said.
However, the UK Prime Minister took a note of caution to warn that mass vaccination will take time and urged the public to remain “lucid” and continue to follow the lockdown rules during the coming winter months.
The NHS said it is running the largest and most highly anticipated immunization campaign in history at 50 hospital centers, with more initial vaccinations in the coming weeks and months as the program escalates after the first set of doses arrived. from Pfizer’s manufacturing site in Belgium.
“We will look back on today, V-day, as a key moment in our fight against this terrible disease, and I am proud that our health services across the UK are about to embark on our further vaccination program. big so far, “UK said. Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
“With those over 80 and front-line health and care personnel receiving their vaccinations starting today, the entire country will breathe a collective sigh of relief when our most vulnerable loved ones begin receiving protection from the virus. Now is the time. the time to sit down and remain patient until the NHS notifies you that it is time to get vaccinated, “he said, adding that the light at the end of the tunnel is visible, but there is still a long way to go.
Since the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine received the green light from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) last week, the NHS said its workers have been working around the clock to manage the large-scale logistical challenge. to implement the vaccine.
“Coronavirus is the greatest health challenge in the history of the NHS, it takes away our loved ones and disrupts every part of our lives,” said Sir Simon Stevens, Executive Director of the NHS.
“The deployment of this vaccine marks a decisive turning point in the battle against the pandemic. The NHS vaccination programs that have successfully helped overcome tuberculosis, polio and smallpox are now turning their attention to the coronavirus. NHS staff are proud to lead the way as the first health service in the world to begin vaccination with this COVID vaccine, “he said.
The Pfizer / BionTech formula is an mRNA vaccine that uses a small piece of genetic code from the pandemic virus to teach the body how to fight Covid-19 and build immunity. It is given in two doses 21 days apart and, according to experts, has shown a strong immune response that kicks in seven days after the second dose.
The MHRA has emphasized that it has been authorized for mass release only after “rigorous” safety testing even though the process was accelerated due to the urgency of finding an effective vaccine against a pandemic that has devastated the world.
NHS National Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis has warned that launching a vaccine will be a “marathon”, not a race.
Pfizer vaccine must be stored at -70 ° C before thawing and can only be moved four times within that cold chain before use. General practitioners (GPs) and other primary care personnel have also been put on hold to begin delivering the jab in phases.
Vaccination centers treating large numbers of patients in sports venues and conference centers will be launched later when more vaccine supplies come online, with most of the rollout expected in the early part of the new year.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated channel.)
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