Today marks the one-year anniversary of the first Covid-19 vaccine delivered in Buckinghamshire and while celebrating the achievement a councillor has also beckoned more people to get vaccinated.
On Monday 14th December 2020, just six days after the first person in the world was vaccinated against Covid-19, Bucks delivered its first shot.
90-year-old Brian Horne received the Pfizer vaccine at the Hall Practice in Chalfont St Peter, as part of the national GP rollout which started that week.
Speaking afterwards, Brian, who has three children and six grandchildren said: “It is exciting, I feel most honoured. I got a phone call from the surgery on Friday, they asked me to come along today and here I am.”
Since then, over one million jabs have been delivered in the region, with 78% of over-12s now having received two jabs. There have also been nearly 200,000 booster shots.
However, although this is a remarkable effort, it does place Buckinghamshire slightly behind the national rate of vaccination. The infection rate is also higher in Bucks than the national average.
Sadly, the first death from the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the UK was confirmed yesterday. At least 10 people aged between 18-80 have been hospitalised with Omicron around the UK.
Given this, and with Omicron spreading particularly fast in the South-East region, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Angela Macpherson, has taken the opportunity on this most important of anniversaries to urge more Bucks residents to come forward for their vaccinations.
Speaking to Bucks Radio, Ms. MacPherson said: “It’s one year since the first Covid vaccinations started in Buckinghamshire and it’s great to see that in that time more than one million vaccinations have been delivered in the county.
“If you haven’t yet had your first, second, or booster vaccine then I’d urge you please to book an appointment at NHS.uk or call 119 free when it’s your turn.
“This is especially important at the moment due to the emergence of the new Omicron variant.”
You can book a Covid-19 vaccination here.
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