Brian Pinker, 82-Year-Old Dialysis Patient, Is First To Receive Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine In UK

Britain on January 4 began rolling out the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. Brian Pinker, an 82-year-old retired maintenance manager, received the first jab at Oxford's Churchill Hospital, NHS England said. "I'm very pleased that I got the Oxford vaccine," he said, adding that it was a "no-brainer" to get the shot. Pinker, who has been having dialysis for kidney disease at the Churchill Hospital for a number of years, said he was "really proud" the vaccine was developed in Oxford. This comes as England returns to a full lockdown. The measures, which include the closure of primary & secondary schools, will come into effect from January 6. UK PM Boris Johnson said he was encouraged by the roll-out of two COVID-19 vaccines, including one developed by Oxford University & AstraZeneca, which could see the four most vulnerable groups inoculated in the next six weeks. Britain has already vaccinated around one million people after approving the Pfizer vaccine in early December and hopes to give shots to tens of millions in the next three months, Johnson said in a BBC interview.