UK PM Boris Johnson gets first shot of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine

Photo: Twitter/@BorisJohnson

New Delhi: The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday (March 20, 2021) got the first shot of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Johnson took to his official Twitter account to share the news. 

The United Kingdom PM wrote, "I've just received my first Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine dose. Thank you to all of the incredible scientists, NHS staff and volunteers who helped make this happen."

He added, "Getting the jab is the best thing we can do to get back to the lives we miss so much. Let's get the jab done."

I've just received my first Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine dose.

Thank you to all of the incredible scientists, NHS staff and volunteers who helped make this happen.

Getting the jab is the best thing we can do to get back to the lives we miss so much.

Let's get the jab done. pic.twitter.com/mQCTMAkB8d — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 19, 2021

I’ve just had my first AstraZeneca vaccine.

Get your jab when you’re asked to do so. It’s good for you, it’s good for your family and it’s a great thing for the whole country. pic.twitter.com/pc5tnY9PGK — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 19, 2021

The development comes amid several countries pausing the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine after reports of people being admitted to hospitals with clotting issues and bleeding after being inoculated.

However, the countries have now started resuming the use of the vaccine after the European Medicines Agency and the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the benefits outweighed the risks following investigations into reports of blood clots.

Johnson had earlier said that the AstraZeneca jab and the Pfizer vaccines are safe. 

"The thing that isn’t safe is catching COVID," he said. 

The Oxford/AstraZeneca jab is safe and the Pfizer jab is safe - the thing that isn’t safe is catching COVID.

Which is why it’s so important that we all get our jabs as soon as our turn comes. pic.twitter.com/WREOjG4FIX — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 18, 2021

As per the latest reports, more than 25 million people in the UK have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

"95% of people aged 65 and over have been vaccinated with first dose. 9 in 10 of those clinically extremely vulnerable have received first jab," said the Department of Health and Social Care.

This is to be noted that more than 15 countries in Europe had suspended or delayed the use of the vaccine.

The United Kingdom has so far reported 42,99,200 coronavirus cases along with 27,00,128 COVID-19-related deaths, according to the data by Johns Hopkins University, on Saturday at 6:55 AM.

AstraZeneca and the EMA have said concerns about coagulation disorders did not emerge in human trials. 

The WHO informed that over 20 million doses of the vaccine had been given to people in Europe, with over 27 million doses of Covishield, the vaccine by AstraZeneca partner Serum Institute, administered in India.

Meanwhile, the world has witnessed a total of 12,22,33,417, of which, 27,00,128 have succumbed to the virus, whereas 6,92,16,133 have recovered. 

(With inputs from agencies)