First King’s patients receive COVID-19 vaccine

08 December 2020 - Kenneth Coley and Ann Russell became the first patients at the Trust to receive the COVID-19 jab on the first day of the rollout

Patients at King’s College Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital have been some of the first in the country to benefit from the new COVID-19 vaccine.

Ninety-eight-year-old Kenneth Coley from South London became the first patient at King’s College Hospital to receive the vaccine. He said, “I’m very fortunate to have been chosen to have the vaccine, I thought I was too old! If you want to fight the virus you have to have to get vaccinated.” Asked whether he was nervous about being one of the first patients to receive it, he said, “No. I’d be stupid not to have it.”

Kenneth was given a round of applause by ward staff after receiving the first dose of the vaccine. He will have the second dose in 21 days.

Eighty-year-old Ann Russell from Bromley was the first patient at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) to be vaccinated. Ann said, “I was very happy to be vaccinated today. Seeing me get it might just encourage others to get it too. Hopefully, the vaccine will make life better for all of us.”

Professor Clive Kay, King’s Chief Executive, said, “On this remarkable day for the NHS, we are incredibly proud to have begun vaccinating our first patients against COVID-19.

“I would like to thank our staff for their tremendous work, both to enable the rollout of the vaccination programme in such a space of time, and throughout the year to care for our patients.”

King’s College Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital are among 50 hubs in England that have been designated to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine.

Among the first group of people to be vaccinated are patients aged 80 and over. This includes those attending the hospital as outpatients, and inpatients who are soon to be discharged after a hospital stay.