Margaret Keenan: First UK person to get the Pfizer jab gets booster

A woman who became the first person in the world to get the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine has had her booster.

Margaret Keenan, 91, from Coventry, got her third injection at University Hospital in the city on Friday, the same place she was first vaccinated.

Also getting the booster was Matron May Parsons, who administered Ms Keenan’s first jab back in December,

Ms Keenan said she felt happy she had got it done and that it meant she felt free.

The UK has administered more than 48 million first doses of coronavirus vaccine so far.

Booster jabs are being offered to the over-50s, younger adults with health conditions and frontline health and care workers.

The recommendation came from the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) amid concern about waning immunity

“When you have it done you feel a different person… because you feel it’s
going to help you and help others,”

When Ms Keenan, originally from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, received her first injection it prompted headlines across the world and attention on social media, also tripling sales of the charity t-shirt she was wearing,

Asked what advice she would give to people who are worried about getting vaccinated, Ms Keenan said: “For the few seconds it takes, go and have the injection, it saves their lives and it saves their families’ lives”.

She said she felt “really good” after having the booster and urged people to “just go for it”.

“When you have it done you feel a different person… because you feel it’s going to help you and help others,” she said.

Ms Parsons added it was “lovely” to see Ms Keenan again and “heart warming” to see her doing so well.