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LONDON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old
grandmother from Britain, has become the first person in the
world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine outside of
a trial following its rapid clinical approval.
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.
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.
"I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated
against Covid-19," said Keenan.
"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."
(Reporting by Kate Holton, editing by Estelle Shirbon)