Margaret Keenan made history on Dec. 8, when she received the first-ever shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial. 

 

What You Need To Know

  • Margaret Keenan was the first person to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 outside of a clinical trial on Dec. 8

  • On Tuesday, Keenan received the second dose of the vaccine at Coventry's University Hospital in the UK

  • In the 13 days after the nonagenarian received her first jab on Dec. 8, NHS England says it vaccinated a total of 521,594 people against COVID-19

  • England had 20,426 coronavirus patients in hospitals as of Monday morning, compared to its previous high of 18,974 on April 12

On Tuesday, the 91-year-old received her second dose of the vaccine at Coventry's University Hospital in the UK. Two rounds of the vaccine are required in order to achieve full immunity, with a 21-day waiting period between shots in order to ensure patients the “best chance of being protected against the virus,” NHS England wrote in a statement in early December. 

 

After her first shot, Keenan said in a statement she was “pleased to be able to go home and to spend some quality time with my family.”

“My family and I are so grateful for the positive comments and well wishes received,” Keenan added. “I would urge everybody to get their vaccine as and when they are asked to do so.”

Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Coventry, told the BBC Tuesday that the hospital was “delighted” to see Keenan recovering so well. 

"Our hardworking staff who have been involved in the vaccination programme have remained in contact with Margaret's family since that day and we are delighted that Margaret has been continuing to recover well at home following her discharge from hospital," Hardy told the BBC, adding: "It's important that everyone comes forward to get the jab when they are invited to do so.”

In the 13 days after the nonagenarian received her first jab on Dec. 8, NHS England says it vaccinated a total of 521,594 people against COVID-19 — 70% of whom were over 80 years old.

Despite the promising vaccination numbers, the United Kingdom has been hit with a devastating resurgence of the virus in recent weeks. Authorities are blaming a new, more transmissible variant of the virus, first identified in southeast England, for the soaring infection rates.

England had 20,426 coronavirus patients in hospitals as of Monday morning — the last day for which figures are available — compared to its previous high of 18,974 on April 12. Britain has recorded more than 71,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths, the second-highest death toll in Europe after Italy.

A further 414 deaths were reported Tuesday, along with a record 53,135 new cases, although that figure may include a backlog from the Christmas holiday period.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to hold a meeting of his COVID-19 crisis committee later Tuesday. Health Secretary Matt Hancock is scheduled to update Parliament on Wednesday on whether more areas will be put into Tier 4 — the top level of lockdown measures — and whether the restrictions could be tightened even further.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.