Elderly British Couple in Their 80s Receiving First COVID-19 Vaccine: "A Duty and an Honor"

▲Hari Shukla (87) and his spouse, the first to receive the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in the UK

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] An 80-year-old British couple, who will be the first in Western countries to receive the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, have expressed that it is "a duty and a great honor," drawing public attention.

According to the British daily The Guardian on the 7th (local time), Hari Shukla, an 87-year-old retired race relations expert living in Newcastle, UK, said before receiving the vaccine, "This is my duty and a great honor," adding, "I am glad that the COVID-19 crisis seems to be coming to an end, and I am happy to play my part by getting vaccinated."

He is scheduled to receive the Pfizer vaccine in his shoulder at 8 a.m. on the 8th at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle, along with his 83-year-old wife.

Originally from Uganda, Africa, he attended the University of Exeter in the UK and worked as a director of the Commission for Racial Equality at Tyneside and Wear. In recognition of his contributions to resolving local racial conflicts, he was awarded a government medal in 2016.

His four children are known to work as a police officer, pharmacist, and school principal, with one residing in Canada.

The UK granted emergency use approval for this vaccine on the 2nd, the first in the world to do so, and will begin vaccinating 400,000 people in less than a week.

Vaccinations will be administered nationwide, including at 50 key hospitals in England, with priority given to those aged 80 and over, residents and staff of nursing homes, and National Health Service (NHS) workers who are at high risk or in poor health.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.