‘I’ll have it as soon as I’m allowed!’ Sir Paul McCartney, 78, is eager to be among the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and is hopeful it will ‘get us out of this’
- The Beatles crooner, 78, is eager to receive the Pfizer jab against coronavirus
- Other older stars, such as Sir Ian McKellan, Lionel Blair and Prue Leith, have already been vaccinated this week
- Paul said: ‘The vaccine will get us out of this. I think we’ll come through it, I know we’ll come through it. I’ll have it as soon as I’m allowed’
- He also expressed that he feels lockdowns arent’ realistic – despite England having undergone two already
- ‘I can’t imagine that girls you see in Liverpool in the tiniest of mini-skirts on a Saturday night, I’m not sure you can say to them, “Look, you’ve got to stay home!”‘ he added
- On Wednesday, Sir Ian, 81, said he felt ‘euphoric’ for getting the COVID-19 jab
Sir Paul McCartney is chomping at the bit to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Beatles crooner, 78, told The Sun this week that he’s eager to join the likes of other older stars – such as Sir Ian McKellan, Lionel Blair and Prue Leith – who received the Pfizer jab against coronavirus this week, in the first round of mass-vaccinations.
He said: ‘The vaccine will get us out of this. I think we’ll come through it, I know we’ll come through, and it’s great news about the vaccine. I’ll have it as soon as I’m allowed.
Get him the jab! Sir Paul McCartney is chomping at the bit to be vaccinated against COVID-19
‘I mean it’s going to be very difficult for a while yet, because you can’t just lock down a whole country unless you’re China. We can’t have that kind of lack of freedom, we’re all brought up to enjoy this great freedom that we have in a democracy.
‘So if somebody says, particularly to younger people, “Look, you’ve just got to stay in Saturday night,” I can’t imagine that all those girls you see in Liverpool in the freezing cold in the tiniest of mini-skirts on a Saturday night in the middle of winter, I’m not sure you can say to them, “Look, you’ve got to stay home”.’
Sir Ian safely received the COVID-19 vaccine this week, after the NHS launched its vaccine roll-out.
The veteran British actor, 81, forms part of the first eligible groups for the vaccine and joins the thousands of over 80s, NHS staff, and care home staff who have been called upon by the NHS to attend their local GP practice or vaccination centre to be treated.
HOW SAFE IS THE PFIZER VACCINE?
Scientists have carried out extensive clinical trials on the Pfizer vaccine and established that it is safe to use.
And the UK regulator rubber-stamped it with a seal of approval, saying it was safe to administer, after evaluating data from 44,000 volunteers in the trials.
But today they issued an advisory notice saying that those with a history of allergies should not get the vaccine.
Concerns have been raised over the speed with which the vaccine was approved – in a matter of months – but scientists have said no corners were cut and this was possible due to the enormous number of volunteers that signed up for the clinical trials.
Pfizer and BioNTech both said they found no serious safety concerns during their four-month long trials.
A spokesman for Pfizer said today there jab was ‘generally well tolerated with no serious safety concerns reported’.
‘The trial has enrolled over 44,000 participants to date, over 42,000 of whom have received a second vaccination.’
Professor Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading, said that the vaccine was ‘extremely safe’ and that he would be cautious about attributing the allergic reactions to the jab.
‘I think it’s probably safer in my view than many other vaccines currently available,’ he told MailOnline. ‘It really is very clean technology.’
‘I would be cautious about attributing the allergic reactions to the vaccine at this moment, especially as it hasn’t cropped up in clinical trials,’ he said.
‘The big allergic reaction to vaccines normally is an egg allergy, because historically influenza vaccines and several others have been grown in hens eggs and you inevitably get a bit of egg protein coming through with the final product.
‘But there’s nothing like that in the mRNA vaccine. The only addition is the lipid coating that they put on the mRNA before it goes into cells – but there’s no history of allergic reactions to that.’
He added that the MHRA had been ‘cautious’ in saying that those with a history of allergies should not get the vaccine.
Professor Heidi Larson, director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, told Sky News the vaccine was approved so quickly due to a ramping up of its clinical trials.
‘The safety regulatory process is still there but the time frame between things, they’ve tried to shorten, just in terms of it’s not sitting in a pile of things to be approved,’ she said.
After getting the vaccine at the Arts Research Centre, Queen Mary University Hospital, Sir Ian said: ‘It’s a very special day, I feel euphoric!’
He went on: ‘Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations.
‘The take-up amongst the older generation will be 100 per cent – it ought to be – because you’re having it not just for yourself but for people who you are close to – you’re doing your bit for society.
‘Of course, it’s painless… it’s convenient, and getting in touch and meeting NHS staff and saying thank you to them for how hard they’ve been working is a bonus.
‘I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone. I feel very lucky to have had the vaccine.’
The vaccine is the biggest breakthrough since the pandemic began, potentially saving tens of thousands of lives.
The country-wide vaccination programme is the largest in NHS history and is already in its second week.
Just like other routine vaccines, this works by teaching the immune system how to defend itself against attack.
The vaccine is given as an injection into the upper arm and is given as 2 doses, at least 21 days apart.
An effective vaccine will be the best way to protect the most vulnerable from COVID-19 and the UK’s roll out only began when the Pfizer vaccine, which has been trialled on around 45,000 people, was confirmed to have met the strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which enabled it to be given to the public.
Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS England Medical Director for Primary Care, said: ‘The NHS has made an excellent start to rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine across the country, with dozens of hospitals and now hundreds of local vaccination services offering the vaccine to those who need it most.
‘This is a huge step forward in the fight against coronavirus, but everyone should continue to follow all guidance to control the spread of the virus.’
The UK’s vaccination programme will build up steadily in the weeks and months ahead and will gradually be extended to more and more people in order of age and risk.
To help, people must wait to be contacted – the NHS will let people know when it’s their turn to have the vaccine.
Veteran star Lionel Blair, 92, received his jab this week.
The entertainer attended the NHS vaccine centre in the grounds of the horse racing course at Epsom, Surrey on Wednesday.
After being filmed beaming while getting the jab, he later said: ‘I couldn’t believe it when they called me. It’s next week and then the next one is in January and here I am. I’m just thinking, thank God I live here.’
Lionel looked delighted in the video as he was tended to by a nurse, who pulled his sleeve up and administered the jab, which he admitted was ‘fine’.
After getting the vaccine at the Arts Research Centre, Queen Mary University Hospital, Sir Ian said: ‘It’s a very special day, I feel euphoric!’
He went on: ‘Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations’
‘You’re doing your bit for society!’ The Lord Of The Rings star said, ‘Of course, it’s painless… it’s convenient, and getting in touch and meeting NHS staff and saying thank you to them for how hard they’ve been working is a bonus’
Lionel, who has been married to his wife Susan since 1967, has three children, including comedian Matt and actress Lucy, and admitted he is most excited to see his kids and three grandchildren once he has completed the vaccinations.
Lionel went on: ‘I’m hoping it’s going to make me live a bit longer! And seeing my grandchildren and children growing up. The whole thing means a great deal to me…
‘My back is the only thing that is weak. My doctor says it’s because of all the dancing in my career. I couldn’t wait for them to phone, I thought, “How do you get in touch?”‘
He added: ‘I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone. I feel very lucky to have had the vaccine’ (pictured in 2018)
Injected: Veteran star Lionel Blair, 92, has received the first of two COVID vaccine jabs
Lionel is an actor, choreographer, tap dancer and television presenter and is best known in the UK for presenting the quiz programme Name That Tune, which ran from 1976 to 1988. He appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2014.
Another star to receive the jab was Prue Leith, 80, who shared an image on Twitter during her vaccination alongside a caption reading: ‘Who wouldn’t want immunity from COVID-19 with a painless jab?’
A reported 140,000 Britons have been vaccinated against coronavirus in the first seven days of the roll-out, in an announcement made amid mounting pressure on Number 10 to publish the numbers.
Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi said 137,897 people have had Pfizer/BioNTech’s jab so far, including 108,000 in England, 18,000 in Scotland, 7,897 in Wales and 4,000 in Northern Ireland.
Happy days! Lionel looked overjoyed once he had the vaccine
Wow! Lionel is an actor, choreographer, tap dancer and television presenter and is best known in the UK for presenting the quiz programme Name That Tune, which ran from 1976 to 1988 (pictured in 1975)
Roll out: Since the vaccine was rolled out last week, the highest risk groups have been given the jabs and on Wednesday, the entertainer attended the NHS vaccine centre, set up in the grounds of the horse racing course at Epsom, Surrey
Mr Zahawi — who was only able to provide precise figures for Wales — said this was a ‘good start’ and promised more would get the jab when more centres opened.
Department of Health bosses later repeated Mr Zahawi’s claim and failed to provide exact counts for anywhere except Wales. Officials insisted the tally was ‘provisional and subject to change’. Matt Hancock said: ‘This is just the start.’
The UK’s largest ever vaccination programme began on December 8, with the Health Secretary promising ‘millions’ would get the jab before the end of the year in hope of finally ending the pandemic.
Living longer: Lionel went on: ‘I’m hoping it’s going to make me live a bit longer! And seeing my grandchildren and children growing up. The whole thing means a great deal to me’
Celebrity chef Prue Leith, 80, uploaded a picture of a male nurse giving her the Pfizer/BioNTech injection on Tuesday
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has revealed how many people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in the first seven days of the programme
But at the current speed it will take another six weeks for one million people to get vaccinated.
The first week of Britain’s vaccine roll-out saw fifty hospitals geared up to administer doses. GP practices and a handful of purpose-built inoculation clinics started to give out jabs yesterday.
The programme has already been swamped by IT glitches forcing many doctors to turn to pen and paper, it was claimed today. When some doctors tried to log jabs in the system they received an ‘infrastructure issue’ message, leaving them unable to digitally record vaccinations.
The vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi revealed the number on Twitter today, but only provided a precise figure for Wales
A Government source told Politico that ‘no one has a f***ing clue’ how many Britons have received the jab, amid fury over the lack of statistics.
The Department of Health has now pledged to publish weekly figures on the exact number of Britons who have been vaccinated against coronavirus like they do for flu, starting from next week.
It comes after a report by the National Audit Office warned half of Britons may not get vaccinated by the end of next year, as plans assume only 25million will get the jab.
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