First pictures of coronavirus vaccination in Wales as mass coup program begins

Here are some of the first people in Wales to receive the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer as part of a mass vaccination program.

The jabs will be administered in 70 hospitals across the UK from Tuesday, dubbed ‘V-Day’ and the vaccinations will be carried out at all health boards in Wales.

Frontline health workers David Farrell, 51, of Llandow, and Lara Jesani, 26, of Cardiff, were among the first at a vaccination center in Cardiff.

Around 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be available across the UK, with Wales being allocated based on its population. In the first wave of vaccine deliveries, Wales will receive almost 40,000 doses, enough for almost 20,000 people.

All health boards in Wales will start giving vaccines to nursing home staff, those over 80 and the most at risk front-line health and social care workers: more than 6,000 doses will be administered by the end of this week.

The vaccine has been shown to be 95% effective against Covid-19 and to work in all age groups, including the elderly.

Previously, 90-year-old grandmother Margaret Keenan became the first person in the world to receive the vaccine when she received the injection at 6.31am in Coventry on Tuesday.

Ms. Keenan, known to family and friends as Maggie, was hit by Nurse May Parsons at Coventry University Hospital.

Ms. Keenan, who will turn 91 next week, is a former jewelry assistant who retired four years ago.

He has a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.

Ms Keenan said: “I feel very privileged to be the first person to be vaccinated against Covid-19. It is the best anticipated birthday gift I could wish for because it means that I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year. after being alone for most of the year.

“I can’t thank May and the NHS staff enough who have taken such tremendous care of me, and my advice to anyone offering the vaccine is to take it – if I can have it at 90, you can have it too.”

“I don’t mind the attention, it doesn’t bother me. I’m glad I did.

“This is a terrible disease, so we want to get rid of it, so anything that helps is a bonus, isn’t it?”

Prime Minister Mark Drakeford said: “Last week, Wales was the first country in the world to receive supplies of the Covid-19 vaccine. Today, I am very proud that Wales has become one of the first countries in the world to start implementing the vaccine in its population.

“2020 has been a very difficult year for all of us. This shot is a small ray of light at the end of what has been a long, dark tunnel.

“But just because we have a vaccine doesn’t mean we can stop doing those things that keep us safe. We must all continue to do our bit to prevent the spread of the coronavirus: wash our hands regularly, distance ourselves socially and cover our faces when necessary to protect ourselves and others. “

Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised everyone involved in the development of the vaccine, tweeting: “Thank you to our NHS, to all the scientists who worked so hard to develop this vaccine, to all the volunteers and to everyone who has been following the rules to protect others. Let’s get through this together. “

The UK is the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its use last week.

Ms. Keenan has been isolated for most of this year and is planning to have a very small family “bubble” at Christmas to keep herself safe.

Originally from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, she has lived in Coventry for over 60 years.

You will receive a booster dose in 21 days to make sure you have the best chance of being protected against the virus.

Ms Parsons, an NHS nurse, said it was a “great honor” to be the first in the country to deliver the vaccine to a patient.

She said: “It is a great honor to be the first person in the country to apply a Covid-19 jab to a patient, I am glad to be able to participate in this historic day.

“The last few months have been tough for all of us who work in the NHS, but now it seems like there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

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Scotland’s Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “My throat tightened at the sight of this. It feels like such an important moment after a difficult year for everyone.”

The NHS Covid-19 vaccination program will serve patients 80 and older who already attend the hospital as outpatients, and those who are being discharged after a hospital stay, among the first to receive the vaccine.