“An historical occasion like the rollout of a coronavirus vaccine requires an historic name, right? Enter one William Shakespeare, an 81-year-old British man who on Tuesday became the second person in the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech shot outside a clinical trial, according to reports. Shakespeare shares the name of the famous English playwright (who lived during an extended plague) and is from the county of the Bard’s birth, Warwickshire. He can be seen getting vaccinated in the video above. “Ready?” the nurse asked. “Yeah,” Shakespeare answered. He didn’t appear to flinch as he received the jab in his arm. Shakespeare admitted that he had been “a bit apprehensive about what the side effects could be — but there’s a small chance of that.” Shakespeare, who also goes by Bill, was inoculated at University Hospital Coventry. His name went viral when BBC News health editor Hugh Pym posted his picture. Second patient to get the COVID jab at University Hospital Coventry – would you believe it….William Shakespeare from Warwickshire pic.twitter.com/y0LzxgbJ9w— Hugh Pym (@BBCHughPym) December 8, 2020 Margaret Keenan, 90, was the first person to receive the vaccine, as the U.K.’s mass vaccination got underway. A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus Which airlines are blocking out middle seats for holiday travel? How does the coronavirus spread differently than the flu? Can you close your COVID “bubble” without losing friends forever? Is it safe to see grandparents over the holidays? How can you help a friend with anxiety when you’re also struggling? Everyone deserves accurate information about COVID-19. Support journalism without a paywall — and keep it free for everyone — by becoming a HuffPost member today.
