Nottinghamshire hospital worker proud after PM dubs her 'jab hero'

Kim Kirk (right) said it was a "huge surprise" to be mentioned by the prime minister

A vaccine worker who was labelled a "jab hero" by the prime minister in a press conference said it was a "huge surprise" to be named.

Kim Kirk, who runs the King's Mill Hospital vaccine hub, was praised during Wednesday's Covid briefing.

Boris Johnson said she was asked a year ago to run the hub for four weeks, adding she "has been doing it ever since with 180,000 jabs and counting".

Ms Kirk said she was "proud" and "humbled to be making history".

In his address to the nation, the prime minister appealed for more volunteers to help administer booster vaccines and praised teams around the country who have been vaccinating people in the past year.

"Across the country, after all they've been through, those teams are going to keep going through Christmas and beyond," he said.

"Jab heroes like Kim Kirk leading the King's Mill Hospital vaccination hub, who was asked a year ago to do it for four weeks and has been doing it ever since with 180,000 jabs and counting."

'Huge team effort'

At the time of the press conference, Ms Kirk said she had been on a video call with a colleague when her phone started "pinging" with messages.

"It was so incredible really. I got messages from friends, family, colleagues from far and wide," she said.

"I felt really proud but the whole campaign is a huge team effort.

"The team I lead at King's Mill are so dedicated and hard-working. We keep asking for more and they keep digging deep and giving it, so that's a true inspiration for me to keep coming every day and doing what we do."

The prime minister called Ms Kirk a "jab hero"

Last week the hospital marked one year since it administered its first coronavirus vaccine.

Ms Kirk said being part of the roll-out had been "pretty life-changing".

"I feel very humbled to be making history," she added.

"I'm getting feedback that it's given them [the volunteers] that real sense of purpose. Something really positive in these difficult times so it's never too late to get involved and become a part of history too.

"It's fair to say it's been hard work but... spirits are high. There's a real sense of pride within our programme. And the team at King's Mill are really up for it."