Hari Shukla of Indian-Origin among First to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

An 87-year-old Indian-origin man from the North-East of England will become one of the first people in the world to get a vaccine against COVID-19, as he receives his Pfizer/BioNTech jab at a hospital in Newcastle.

Hari Shukla from Tyne and Wear said he feels it is his duty to receive his first of the two-dose vaccine, a moment UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as a ‘huge step forward’ as was dubbed "V-Day" or Vaccine Day in the UK. “I am so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine, I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help”, Shukla said. "Having been in contact with the NHS (National Health Service), I know how hard they all work and the greatest respect for them - they have a heart of gold and I am grateful for everything they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic”, he added.

Shukla was notified by the NHS based on the criteria set by the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization as part of a phased rollout plan based on those at the highest risk of death from the deadly virus. People aged 80 and over, care home workers as well as NHS workers who are at higher risk will be first in line to receive the "life-saving jab".

"Now marks a huge step forward in the UK's fight against coronavirus, as we begin delivering the vaccine to the first patients across the whole country. I am immensely proud of the scientists who developed the vaccine, members of the public who took part in trials, and the NHS who have worked tirelessly to prepare for rollout," said Johnson. However, the UK PM struck a note of caution to warn that mass vaccination will take time and urged the public to remain "clear-eyed" and continue to follow the lockdown rules over the winter months ahead.