An eighty-five-year-old retired engineering supervisor from Clayton, iwas one of the first patients to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the district.
William Drake had the jab at Bradford Royal Infirmary on Monday afternoon. This marked the start of the district’s vaccine programme to protect patients, care home staff and frontline NHS staff.
William said: “I had my vaccine today and it went very, very well, no problems whatsoever at all. It was dead easy, a small scratch and done. It was over in seconds.
“It is important to get vaccinated to fight covid and beat it so that everybody can be safe and have a normal living. At the moment all we are doing is sitting at home.”
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has joined the network of sites across England delivering the world-leading COVID-19 vaccine programme.
Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals, Mel Pickup, said: “Today is a fantastic day for the NHS in Bradford district and Craven, as we began vaccinating patients against COVID-19 in what is the biggest vaccine campaign in history.
“I’m immensely proud that we’re part of such an historic event and I would like to pay tribute to all of our staff for all they have done this year to get us to this important point in our pandemic response, and for everything they continue to do to care for and protect our patients.
“This marks the light at the end of the tunnel after a year that has turned all our lives upside down and has left many families without a loved one.”
Frontline NHS staff from Bradford Teaching Hospitals and Airedale NHS Foundation Trust’ were also among the first to get vaccinated.
BRI Renal Consultant, Dr Ashan Syed, said: “I’ve had my vaccination today as it is my personal commitment in the fight against this horrible virus. I think everyone who is offered this vaccination should take it.”
Kessi Donnelly, a nurse practitioner at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, who had travelled from Clitheroe to have her vaccine at the BRI, continued: “It was really easy. It didn’t hurt any more than a normal vaccine would, and to me it’s really important that we have this vaccine.
“As healthcare professionals we have an opportunity to look after ourselves so that we can continue the work we do but so that we also protect our patients and families and everyone that’s around us. This is the next step in fighting coronavirus and I’m really pleased I’ve done it.”
Hospital hubs, vaccination centres and other community locations, as well as GP practices and pharmacies, will all be used to deliver the vaccines across the country