An Indian man, Hari Shukla, will become one of the first people in the world to receive a coronavirus vaccine against Covid-19 infection when he receives the injection of Pfizer-BioNTech at a UK hospital. ) on Tuesday.
With the UK giving Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine its approval for emergency use, Hari Shukla of Tyne and Wear said he was pleased to learn that the world was reaching the end of the year-long pandemic with the onset of the vaccinations
Hari Shukla said that when he received the phone call and was notified about joining the coronavirus immunization program, he was very excited to be a part of it. Hari Shukla said that he feels it is his duty to receive the first of two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
“When I received a phone call, I was very excited to have the opportunity to join and participate,” Hari Shukla said according to Reuters.
“I am very happy that hopefully we are reaching the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to do my bit with the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do everything I can to help,” Hari Shukla told PTI.
“It’s a great relief because it’s not an ordinary crisis,” Hari Shukla said, adding, “I’m not nervous or anything like that. I’m anxious.”
People aged 80 and over, home care workers, as well as NHS workers most at risk, will be the first to receive the “life-saving blow”.
Britain will begin distributing the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday. About 800,000 doses are expected to be available during the first week, with nursing home residents and caregivers, those over 80 and some health care workers the top priority for receiving vaccines.
The mass inoculation program could fuel optimism that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against the pandemic that has crushed global economies and killed more than 1.5 million people.
Ahead of the launch of the vaccines, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Today marks a major step forward in the UK’s fight against coronavirus as we start delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, the members of the public who participated in the trials, and the NHS who have worked tirelessly to prepare for the launch. “
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.
(With input from PTI.Reuters)
