Lyn Wheeler was one of the first people in the country to receive the Pfizer vaccine on 8 December 2020 at Guy’s hospital, where she also met Boris Johnson.
Lyn explains how proud she was to have the opportunity to have the vaccine and to publicise its safety and effectiveness: “We had to do something, we couldn’t go on as we were. We couldn’t continue being afraid to go to the shops or to sit on a bus. You have got to realise that life is a bit of a risk and you can’t keep hiding away, you have to stand up and go for things.
“Being one of the first people in the country to be vaccinated gave me the chance to show other people that they didn’t need to be afraid of vaccination. I was proud to do it and to play my part – I was even interviewed on Good Morning Britain the next day!”
Before the pandemic, Lyn had a number of volunteering roles including reading with children at a local primary school, which she missed. “I couldn’t go to Church, or to the school I volunteered at. This felt like hope. I was so pleased to be able to give back once I was vaccinated, and I have been volunteering at a local vaccine centre, reassuring people that the vaccine is safe, talking to them and giving them confidence. The vaccine is here to help and help us get back to doing things again.”