90-year-old grandma becomes first in the world to receive coronavirus jab outside trial

NEW DELHI

British grandmother-of-four Margaret Keenan, 90, has become the first patient in the world to receive the Pfizer coronavirus jab following its clinical approval as the NHS launched its biggest ever vaccine campaign on Tuesday.

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An early riser, Keenan received the jab at her local hospital in Coventry, central England, on Tuesday morning at 0631 GMT, a week before she turns 91.

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Keenan, who is from Coventry and will be 91 next week, 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."

Britain began rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech on Tuesday, the first Western country to start vaccinating its general population in what was hailed as a decisive watershed in defeating the coronavirus.

The mass inoculation will fuel hope that the world may be turning a corner in the fight against a pandemic that has crushed economies and killed more than 1.5 million, although ultra-cold storage and tricky logistics will limit its use for now.

(With inputs from agencies)