Meet William Shakespeare, The First Man In The UK To Receive Covid-19 Vaccine

• An 81-year-old man from Warwickshire named William Shakespeare became the world’s second person – and first male patient – to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.
• Shakespeare said he was “pleased” he get immunized against the dreaded disease.
• The first vaccinations are among the United Kingdom’s initial steps towards their mass vaccination program.

The first man in the United Kingdom to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has an interesting name – William Shakespeare.

Yes, the 81-year-old man, who shares the same name as the famous English playwright, made headlines after getting a shot at the University Hospital Coventry on Tuesday.

William ‘Bill’ Shakespeare said he was “pleased” about getting vaccinated and that the hospital staff were “wonderful.”

Hugh Pym, a journalist for BBC, posted a picture of Mr Shakespeare as he was about to get the vaccine’s first dose. He later shared the photo on Twitter, writing “Second patient to get the Covid jab at University Hospital Coventry – would you believe it….William Shakespeare from Warwickshire.”

When his story went viral online, Twitter users immediately came up with Shakespeare puns.

Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old woman from Northeren Ireland, became the first ever person in the world to get vaccinated. Shakespeare was the second and the first male patient to receive it. They are both patients from the same hospital.

In an interview, Keenan shared:

“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.”

She likewise added:

“I can’t thank May and the NHS staff enough who have looked after me tremendously, and my advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it – if I can have it at 90 then you can have it too.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the jabs are among the first of their mass vaccination campaign in an effort to curb the coronavirus crisis.