As it happened: 'End is in sight' as UK Covid vaccinations under way, says Matt Hancock

Summary

Health Secretary Matt Hancock hails the start of the UK's mass vaccination drive as "a tribute to scientific endeavour, to human ingenuity"
Margaret Keenan, 90, the first to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech jab today, said it was "the best early birthday present" - she turns 91 next week
Professor Stephen Powis of NHS England called it "really, really emotional" and "a truly historic day"
PM Boris Johnson said the vaccine would make a "huge difference" but urged people to keep following the rules
Hospital hubs across the UK will give the vaccine to the over-80s and some health and care staff
The UK is first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its use last week
Meanwhile, researchers confirmed that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was safe and effective
In Scotland, next year's Higher and Advanced Higher exams are to be cancelled after disruption to schools
Globally 67.59 million people have been infected and 1.54 million have died, according to Johns Hopkins University

Live Reporting

Edited by Sean Fanning and Holly Wallis

Hancock: Vaccine roll-out offers a 'way through' pandemicpublished at 07:28 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020
Image source, Reuters
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said the start of the rollout of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine means there is "finally" a "way through" the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Hancock told Sky News it made him "quite emotional" to see photos of Margaret Keenan receive the jab.
"It has been such a tough year for so many people and finally we have our way through it - our light at the end of the tunnel, as so many people are saying.
"And just watching Margaret there - it seems so simple having a jab in your arm, but that will protect Margaret and it will protect the people around her.
"And if we manage to do that in what is going to be one of the biggest programmes in NHS history, if we manage to do that for everybody who is vulnerable to this disease then we can move on."
Watch the moment the first patient receives Covid vaccinepublished at 07:20 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020
This was the moment that Margaret Keenan, from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine outside trial conditions.
Applause broke out after she received the first dose at the University Hospital in Coventry just over an hour ago.
Margaret Keenan 'so privileged' to receive vaccine firstpublished at 07:14 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020
A 90-year-old grandmother who was the first person to receive a coronavirus vaccine in the UK, outside of trial conditions, has said she felt "so privileged" to receive the jab.
Early riser Margaret Keenan, known to friends and family as Maggie, turns 91 next week.
She said: “I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19 - it’s the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the New Year after being on my own for most of the year.”
Maggie is a former jewellery shop assistant who only retired four years ago.
She has a daughter, a son and four grandchildren and is looking forward to being able to go out again once she receives the top up dose.
Maggie had been self-isolating for most of the year and is planning on having a very small family ‘bubble’ Christmas to keep safe.
Originally from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, she has lived in Coventry for more than 60 years.
She will receive a booster jab in 21 days to ensure she has the best chance of being protected against the virus.
NHS matron May Parsons said it was a “huge honour” to be the first in the country to deliver the vaccine to a patient.
Speaking at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, she said: "I’m just glad that I’m able to play a part in this historic day.
“The last few months have been tough for all of us working in the NHS, but now it feels like there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
May, originally from the Philippines, has worked in the NHS for the last 24 years and been at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire since 2003.
Ninety-year-old becomes first to receive jab in UK vaccination programmepublished at 07:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020
Breaking
Image source, PA Media
Ninety-year-old Margaret Keenan from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland has become the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19, outside trial conditions.
She received the injection from Matron May Parsons at University Hospital in Coventry at 06:30 GMT.
She has lived in Coventry for 60 years and worked in a local jewellery shop until she was 86.
The vaccination programme aims to protect the most vulnerable and return life to normal.
'V-day' as roll-out of the coronavirus jab to beginpublished at 06:57 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020
The first people in the UK are today receiving a coronavirus jab on what has been dubbed "V-Day", as the mass vaccination programme begins.
About 70 hospital hubs across the UK are to provide the Pfizer/BioNTech jab to the over-80s and some health and care staff.
The programme aims to protect the most vulnerable and return life to normal.
The UK will be the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its use last week.
Vaccination will not be compulsory.
Read more
What’s happening around the world?published at 06:48 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020
Meanwhile, here are the latest international headlines this morning:
- The US’ top infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci has warned of another surge in coronavirus cases after Christmas - even as the country struggles to cope with the rise that followed last month’s Thanksgiving celebrations
- The governors of the two biggest states in the US, California and New York, have warned of a crisis in hospitals
- Israel has announced a nationwide night-time curfew ahead of one of the main festivals in the Jewish calendar, Hannukah. The rules will come into effect from Wednesday
- Hong Kong has also unveiled a series of new restrictions, including closing restaurants from 18:00
Good morningpublished at 06:46 Greenwich Mean Time 8 December 2020
Image source, Getty Images
Welcome to our live coverage.
It’s a big day for the UK today so do stay with us for all the latest developments.
Here are the latest headlines:
- The first people in the UK are set to receive a coronavirus jab on what has been dubbed "V-Day", as a mass vaccination programme begins
- About 70 hospital hubs across the UK are gearing up to give the Pfizer/BioNTech jab to the over-80s and some health and care staff
- Those administering the vaccine will be the first to receive jabs in Scotland, while health workers will be first in line in Wales and Northern Ireland
- On Monday, the UK government announced a further 189 deaths in the UK
- Wales' health minister has warned there could be further restrictions after Christmas as Covid cases continue to rise
- Five schools in Northern Ireland have said pupils will not be marked absent if they do schoolwork at home in the final week of term
- And a review of Scotland's Covid-19 levels system will be announced later, but have they succeeded in driving down infection rates?