9 December 2020
Margaret Keenan, the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine following its clinical approval, has today (Wednesday 9th December) been discharged from University Hospital, Coventry.
The 90-year-old, known to friends and family as Maggie, was greeted by her daughter Sue and her grandson Connor as she left the hospital at 2pm.
Maggie will spend the coming weeks in a family bubble and is looking forward to celebrating her 91st birthday, Christmas and the New Year with loved ones.
She said: “Yesterday was a massive day for me and for the rest of the world as we all look to get back to some sort of normality.
“It has all been such a whirlwind and everything hasn’t really sunk in yet. I feel great and I’m so pleased to be able to go home and to spend some quality time with my family.
“I would like to say thank you to the hospital and its staff for the care and support shown to me during my stay – they have been truly amazing.
“My family and I are so grateful for the positive comments and well wishes received. I would urge everybody to get their vaccine as and when they are asked to do so.”
Maggie will receive her second top up dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine later this month.
Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, praised Maggie and the dedicated staff who continue to roll out the biggest vaccine campaign in NHS history.
He said: “We were delighted to have the first patient in the world to have the covid vaccine and it is thanks to our incredible NHS staff that we were able and ready to start vaccinating people, like Maggie, yesterday. It is great news that Maggie is well enough to go home – she is really looking forward to spending time with her family.
“This is the first step in the largest vaccination programme the country has ever faced and it will take months to complete – we will contact people as and when they can be vaccinated but in the meantime we want to encourage members of the public to continue following the guidance in place to help keep everybody safe.”
The phased vaccination programme will see patients aged 80 and above who are already attending hospital as an outpatient and those being discharged home after a hospital stay, among the first to receive the life-saving jab.
Care home providers are also being asked by the Department of Health and Social Care to begin booking staff in to vaccination clinics. GPs are also expected to be able to begin vaccinating care home residents.
Any appointments not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from Covid-19.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON BLOOD TESTING DUE TO COVID-19
If you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, e.g. fever, loss of taste or continuous new cough, please DO NOT attend for a blood test.
Earlier this year, the Government revised the guidance on Shielding for CEV patients. All those who have been identified as CEV have been advised to follow the same guidance as everyone else, whilst potentially thinking about extra precautions you could take to reduce your chance of catching COVID-19.
Taking into account this guidance, and the evidence that most patients have now resumed having their blood tests at their usual preferred location, UHCW will no longer be providing the Shielding phlebotomy service from Monday 13 December 2021. You will need to make arrangements to get your blood tests done, as you did prior to the pandemic at locations across Coventry and Warwickshire at www.uhcw.nhs.uk/bloodtests If your specialist has requested a blood test which is due to be taken prior to Monday 13th December, you can expect it to take place at a ‘Pop-up’ clinic, as before. Any blood tests required after this date will need to be a booked appointment.
You can keep up to date with the latest advice from the Government and from UHCW on the following website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19
Click on the map for information about phlebotomy clinics in Coventry. You can book an appointment online at the locations in red.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Booking an appointment helps patients, their carers and family members to plan their hospital visit better, helping to reduce clinic waiting times and enabling patients to be seen much more quickly.
Location: Outpatients Department, on the ground floor. Opening hours: 8am-4.45pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Children under 16 years old will need to book online here.
Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test, click on the ‘Book Online’ button above. Patients from Rugby and the surrounding areas are able to access the Friends Blood Taking Unit at the Hospital of St Cross.
Referrals for blood tests can be from GP's, practice nurses or from hospital consultants. Patients are also able to leave other samples, such as urine, which have been collected at home, at the hospital's Pathology Reception.
Location: Near Brookfield House, just off North Road - map here. Opening hours: The blood taking clinic sessions for adults and children are listed below:
Monday -Friday 7am-4:45pm Appointment only
Wednesday Evening 5pm-7pm Suspended due to COVID
Saturday Morning 7am-10pm Suspended due to COVID
April 2020 NEW - This Clinic is now by appointment. Please book an appointment before attending for a blood test. Click on the ‘Book Online’ button above.
Address: Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry CV1 4FS Location: Access is via the main doors, the Phlebotomy team are in Area A. Opening hours: Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). 8am–4.45pm
Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT)
Specialist Tests - There are a small number of specialist tests where blood needs to be taken on a hospital site as the sample must be transferred to the laboratory rapidly for the test to be undertaken. Click here for a list of these specialist tests and to find out more.