Woman, 84, first to receive Covid vaccine in Lincolnshire
‘IT GIVES ME THE CHANCE OF A FEW MORE YEARS’ SAYS PENSIONER
THE first patient in Lincolnshire to receive the new Covid vaccine says it gives her a chance to live a few more years as she praised NHS staff as heroes.
Retired NHS worker Janet Judson, 84, was the first patient in Lincolnshire to receive the vaccine at the Lincolnshire hub based at Lincoln County Hospital. After receiving the jab from occupational nurse Leanne Belton, the pensioner said: “You really are heroes. I don’t know how you have kept going. “I hope you all keep safe.”
She added: “I am so grateful to have been asked to receive the vaccine.
“It will make a real difference. It has given me the chance of a few more years hopefully.”
Nurse Belton said administering the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at Lincoln County Hospital was a “momentous” occasion.
The United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust nurse said it felt wonderful to be part of the start of the roll-out of the vaccine to beat coronavirus.
She said: “We have all been working hard to get to this point.” Grimsby’s Diana, Prinin- cess of Wales Hospital and nd Scunthorpe General Hosospital are expected to become vaccination on points at some point in the coming weeks. As yet, NHS England nd nor Northern Linncolnshire and Goole NHS HS
Trust are yet to reveal the he vaccination programme me for those living in northhern Lincolnshire. It is thought GP surgeries could also become places where patients can go for the vaccine.
The order in which h people will receive the e vaccine is decided by y the Joint Committee on n Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and they have advised that age is the single greatest risk of mortality from Covid-19.
The elderly, care home staff and priority healthcare staff will be amongst the first to be offered the vaccine. They are due to be invited for vaccination later this week.
A spokeswoman for ULHT said: “In the coming days and weeks, we will receive more confirmation regarding additional delivery models in the county, both hospital hubs, vaccination centres and through primary care.” Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, Andrew Morgan, said: “This is a really important day for the NHS.
“It is the start of the biggest roll-out of a vaccination programme that this country has ever seen and I think it is a turning point in our collective fight against the pandemic.
“We are absolutely delighted that our first patients, our first care home staff and our first members of the NHS family are being vaccinated today. “This is clearly a marathon and not a sprint, but we do have to start somewhere and I am delighted that United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the first sites to begin the vaccination programme in the country.” country.