Filipina nurse May Parsons has administered the world’s first approved COVID-19 vaccine to 90-year-old Margaret Keenan, who is the first person to receive the coronavirus inoculation in the United Kingdom.
Originally from the Philippines, Parsons has worked for 17 years in UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and has been at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire since 2003. She successfully delivered a life-saving dose of the vaccine to Keenan on December 8, 2020, at the University Hospital in Coventry, according to the report from Good Morning Britain.
The significant moment marked the official launch of the UK’s mass coronavirus immunization program following the approval of the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech after the end of its clinical trials in November.
Speaking at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, nurse May Parsons, said: “It’s a huge honour to be the first person in the country to deliver a COVID-19 jab to a patient, I’m just glad that I’m able to play a part in this historic day.”
Parsons also said in a media interview that she hopes to be an inspiration to fellow Filipino medical frontliners in the Philippines and the world.
“I was so proud to contribute to stopping the pandemic…I’m really glad to be telling all the Filipinos in this country and everywhere in the world that we can make a difference,” May Parsons told Good Morning Britain broadcaster Jonathan Swain.
“I think it’s a historical event for Filipinos all across the globe for making sure that we are proud of what we’ve achieved…I’m very proud to be saying to everyone that I’m Filipino-British and today I’m making history,” Parsons added.
British ambassador to the Philippines and Palau Daniel Pruce cited Parsons for the historic achievement and thanked all Filipino healthcare workers whom he said were invaluable to UK’s NHS.
“A fantastic moment! And great to see that the vaccine is administered by Nurse May Parsons from the Philippines – one of the many thousands of Filipino healthcare workers making such an enormous contribution to the #NHS,” Ambassador Pruce said in a tweet.
The NHS is currently offering the COVID-19 vaccine to people most at risk from coronavirus including the elderly aged 80 and over and its health workers.
The United Kingdom is the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, a landmark moment in the global fight against the pandemic.
More UK tributes to Filipino nurses include the British Empire Medal which was awarded to nurse Minnie Klepacz for her work during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic while nurse Kit Torres was honored with portraits as a UK Health Worker hero.
Filipino health workers around the world were recently honored through a giant solar display at the Rizal Park of the Philippine flag through the efforts of Liter of Light. The stunning display built on Bonifacio Day using 3,000 solar lights from the award-winning social campaign of Light it Forward saluted Filipino medical frontliners who have risked their lives to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to Filipina nurse May Parsons for making history as the first in the world to administer the approved COVID-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom!
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