UK begins administering the Pfizer/BioNTech Coronavirus vaccine.

 

90 year old Margert Keenan was the first person to be administered the Pfizer Coronavirus vaccine. Reuters. 

The United Kingdom began administering the Pfizer/BioNTech Coronavirus vaccine today, with a 90 year old woman being the first to get it. Reuters. Margert Keenan received the vaccine at 0631 GMT making her the first person to get the vaccine outside of clinical trials. The UK is the first western country to begin vaccinations and has been one of the hardest hit during the pandemic. They will have 800,000 doses during the first week and hope to have 20 million people vaccinated soon. People in assisted living, over 80 and some healthcare workers are being prioritized for the vaccine. 

My Comment:

The UK is not the first country to begin Coronavirus vaccinations. Both Russia and China have begun to do so as well with their domestically produced vaccine. The big difference is that neither the Russian or Chinese vaccines have finished their clinical trials, unlike the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine. Though I am somewhat wary of the Pfizer vaccine as well, I certainly would rather take it then Russia's or China's. And of the two I sure would rather take Russia's over whatever ungodly mess China has come up with... 

I generally think this is positive news. It the UK has no major issues with the Pfizer vaccine it means that they can begin administering the vaccine in the United States as well. Indeed, I am kind of annoyed that this hasn't begun happening here. From what I understand the FDA took the Thanksgiving weekend off and are now back to work. That kind of delay is inexcusable, if the vaccine is safe in a week or two it's going to be safe now. 

I generally agree with the way the UK is administering this vaccine. It really should go to the most vulnerable people and people in their 80's and 90's and people in assisted living are by far the most at risk of succumbing the disease. Though there is an argument that health care workers should get it first, they tend to be younger and in much better health. Plus a large number of them have been exposed already. 

Still, it's important to note that the people given the vaccine today still have to take a 2nd dose. The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses to be effective and if people don't come back to get the 2nd does they won't be protected. That shouldn't be a problem for the old folks getting the vaccine now as the doctors know where they are, but it could be a problem in the future. 

As for overall vaccination efforts the UK will be a good test case to see how many people go along with it. I know a lot of people are going to be skeptical of the vaccine and that will probably get worse as people start to understand that the vaccine does have some side effects. From what I understand a lot of people suffer from some rather severe fatigue after getting the Pfizer vaccine and there are the more general aches, pains and other minor symptoms many vaccines cause. Keep in mind in the United States the Pfizer vaccine won't be the only one, with the Morderna vaccine likely to be rolled out a week or two after the Pfizer one. 

For me, I plan to take the vaccine as soon as it comes out. I am somewhat worried about long term effects but I am so done with this outbreak. And even though my life hasn't been as badly effected by this pandemic as many other people have been, I still want my life back. The vaccine seems like the only way to do it on a timescale that isn't totally insane.