Matt Hancock breaks down in tears on GMB as grandmother, 90, becomes first person in the WORLD to get approved Covid jab (with William Shakespeare, 81, not far behind)

Matt Hancock cried on live TV today after a 90-year-old grandmother from Coventry and a Warwickshire pensioner called William Shakespeare became the first people in the world to get an approved coronavirus vaccine as the country took a gigantic step towards ending the hated pandemic on 'V-Day'.

The NHS has started the biggest vaccination drive in British history at 50 hospital sites where the UK's new weapon in the war on Covid-19 is being rolled out to the over-80s, the vulnerable and frontline hospital and care home staff.

At least 5,000 people are expected to be inoculated today - around 100 people in each centre - with 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine already in the country as the UK's vaccine chief Kate Bingham predicted that in 2021 'we will all be going on summer holidays'.

Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, was the first person in the world to receive the jab since it was approved by the UK's regulator - calling it 'the best early birthday present I could wish for' after self-isolating alone since March. She celebrated her global fame in typical British-style - with a nice cup of tea.

Incredibly the next to get the jab was 81-year-old William Shakespeare from near Stratford-upon-Avon - the Bard's home town - who appeared so relaxed many joked that to him, being the second person in the world to be vaccinated was 'much ado about nothing'.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was emotional as he watched Mrs Keenan getting the jab this morning after a grim 2020, and cried on Good Morning Britain as Mr Shakespeare hailed the 'groundbreaking' jab that will 'start changing our lives'.

Mr Hancock wiped away tears as he told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: 'It's been such a tough year for so many people and there's William Shakespeare putting it simply for everybody that we can get on with our lives'. But in a gloomy warning for Britain he added: 'There's still a few months to go, I've still got this worry that we can't blow it now Piers, we've still got to get the vaccine to millions of people so we've got to keep sticking to the rules, there's so much work gone into this - it makes me proud to be British'.

Later in the Commons a more composed Mr Hancock gave a statement to MPs on the vaccine's rollout and joined in on the Shakespeare puns, declaring: 'If you prick us, do we not bleed?' Boris Johnson, who watched people getting vaccinated at Guy's Hospital this morning, said: 'It's a shot in the arm for the entire nation, but we can't afford to relax now'.

At 6.30am, wearing a bright blue 'Merry Christmas' T-shirt, Mrs Keenan, known as 'Maggie' to friends and family, could be seen smiling under her mask as the nurse May Parsons at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire injected her with the life-saving medicine.

Mrs Keenan, a former jewellery shop assistant who only retired four years ago, has a daughter, a son and four grandchildren. She said: 'I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19, it's the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the New Year after being on my own for most of the year. I can't thank May and the NHS staff enough who have looked after me tremendously, and my advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it - if I can have it at 90 then you can have it too.'

As today marks the start of the 'biggest vaccine campaign in the UK's history':

Thousands of people across the country today became the first in the world to get an approved Covid-19 vaccination;Kate Bingham, head of UK vaccine task force, predicts beginning of the end for lockdown and says: 'My gut feeling is we will all be going on summer holidays';Matt Hancock warns London is on the verge of being plunged into TIER 3 as Covid cases rise and data reveals daily infections are now higher than before November lockdown;

The moment Margaret Keenan, 90, became the first patient in the United Kingdom to receive the Pfizer/BioNtech covid-19 vaccine at University Hospital, Coventry, administered by nurse May Parsons, at the start of the largest ever immunisation programme in the UK's history

Maggie gave a thumbs up after the jab and said she was looking forward to seeing friends and family after being alone for most of 2020. Matt Hancock became tearful on GMB seeing her get vaccinated and said it made him 'proud to be British'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to to Lyn Wheeler before she received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Guy's Hospital in London. Mr Johnson was in intensive care at the same trust as he fought Covid earlier this year

In a watershed moment, an emotional Mrs Keenan is clapped from the ward after she was vaccinated on the eve of her 91st birthday

In a wonderful twist, the second person to get the jab in Coventry was.... a William Shakespeare from Warwickshire

WHO WILL GET THE PFIZER JAB TODAY?

In a world first move, that NHS chiefs hope will mark the 'first step on the road back to normality', thousands of Britons will today roll up their sleeves and take a shot of the new Pfizer jab, which is 95 per cent effective.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people should not be afraid of getting vaccinated, and that people objecting to having the jab are 'totally wrong'.

Speaking at the vaccination centre at Guy's Hospital in London on Tuesday, he said: 'To all those who are scared (of getting vaccinated) - don't be. You have seen Lyn take it, you have seen people take the vaccine this morning in large numbers.

'There's nothing to be nervous about.'

He added: 'What I would say is that there are those obviously who feel that a vaccine is something they object to politically or for ideological reasons.

'I think they are totally wrong. It's safe, it's the right thing to do, it's good for you and it's good for the whole country.

'It's going to take a while. I urge people to contain their impatience.'

Mr Johnson said it was 'very, very exciting' to meet some of the first people to be vaccinated against coronavirus.

Speaking at the vaccination centre at Guy's Hospital in London on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said it was moving to talk to Lyn Wheeler, who was the first to receive the vaccine there.

'It was very, very exciting just to talk to Lyn about the vaccine that she has just taken,' he said.

'She is 81 and it is really very moving to hear her say she is doing it for Britain, which is exactly right - she is protecting herself but also helping to protect the entire country.'

Boris Johnson with patient Lyn Wheeler before she received her vaccine at Guy's in south London

Henry Vokes, 98, celebrates after receiving his jab at Southmead Hospital in Bristol this morning

Belfast: Sister Joanna Sloan becomes the first person in Northern Ireland to receive the first of two Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine jabs, at the Royal Victoria Hospital, in Belfast

Cardiff: David Farrell, 51, from Llandow, a care home worker, became one of the first people in Wales to get the vaccine

Staff at Southmead Hospital take delivery of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine today

The vaccine has to be stored at minus 70C and can only be transported at elevated temperatures a limited number of times

A member of staff takes a tray containing phials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine out of a fridge as 100 hospitals and NHS sites begin the rollout of the vaccine

Matt Hancock warns London is on the verge of being plunged into TIER 3 as Covid cases rise

And the numbers in the capital are moving in the wrong direction, with cases per person up by half in the worst affected corners of the city and chaotic photos from the weekend showing shopping streets packed with people. Red shows areas where the infection rate has risen in a week, while green shows the boroughs that have seen a fall in cases

Matt Hancock today hinted that London is on the verge of being plunged into Tier Three, as official figures show daily coronavirus infections in the capital are now higher than before England's blanket lockdown.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson also highlighted the increase in London in an interview hailing the first vaccines being administered.

City Hall is understood to be braced for bad news when the first review of the tiers in England is carried out on December 16, despite Sadiq Khan insisting he does not want it to happen. Tier Three rules would inflict yet more devastation on the hospitality industry, with bars and restaurants only allowed to operate takeaway.

London's daily infections rose by 12 per cent over the national lockdown, despite cases falling dramatically during the first fortnight of restrictions. The city's infection rate was 151.6 cases per 100,000 people for the week ending November 5 — but rose to 169.2 in the seven-day spell that finished December 2.

And 21 out of the capital's 32 boroughs saw a rise in coronavirus infections in the last week of the shutdown, with the biggest surges in Haringey, Bromley and Kingston.

However, separate figures tracking the size of London's outbreak show no spike in hospital admissions or deaths, which have barely risen over the past two months.

Maggie Keenan, who is originally from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, but has lived in Coventry for more than 60 years, described the moment she was vaccinated, in a world-first, at 6.31am.

'It was fine - I wasn't nervous at all,' said the mother-of-two.

Mrs Keenan said she was looking forward to a 'little rest' before she was due to be discharged, as early as Wednesday.

She is now planning a small family gathering for Christmas and her birthday next week, after last year's landmark 90th festivities.

Earlier, talking to the PA news agency while waiting for her injection from nurse May Parsons, she quipped she was hoping for a trip to 'Barbados'.

She added: 'I can't thank May and the NHS staff enough who have looked after me tremendously, and my advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it - if I can have it at 90, then you can have it too.'

Mrs Keenan was among up to 100 people set to have the jab, which arrived in an insulated container just minutes before the inoculation.

It had to be carefully handled according to strict clinical controls.

Asked how she felt about being first in line for the jab, she said: 'It hasn't sunk in yet,' adding she initially thought staff were having her on.

The grandmother-of-four said she 'thought it was a joke to start with' and said: 'I couldn't believe it.

'I'm happy it's happened and now I've done it.

'At the moment I don't know how I feel, just so strange and so wonderful really,' she added.

'This is for a good cause and I'm so pleased I had it done.'

Mrs Keenan said she 'never' thought she would be the first person having the vaccine as part of the national rollout.

'This is a terrible disease so we do want rid of it, so anything that helps is a bonus, isn't it, really?' she said.

She said to those who might be having second thoughts about getting vaccinated: 'I say go for it, because it's free and it's the best thing that's ever happened.

'Go for it. If I can do it; well, so can you,' she said.

Although she knew of nobody personally who had been affected, Mrs Keenan said she and her family had 'stuck by the rules and we've got our own little bubble now'.

Commenting on the effect of the global pandemic, she said: '(It's) terrible what it's done to people, it's so sudden and so devastating to see what they're going through, really.'

LIST OF THE 50 HOSPITAL HUBS IN THE FIRST WAVE OF COVID-19 VACCINE PROGRAMME

She was later wheeled back to her ward, where nursing staff formed a guard of honour, cheering and applauding Mrs Keenan, who was visibly emotional at the gesture.

Mrs Keenan said: 'I am looking forward to Christmas.

'I didn't think I'd be getting home so soon from hospital.

'I'm spending Christmas with four of my family members and then we'll see what happens in the new year, but I'm looking forward to Christmas - yes I am.'

Neighbours of Maggie Keenan, 91, the first person to be given the Covid 19 vaccine have spoken of their pride in knowing her.

Heather Connolly, who has been a neighbour for eight years, said: 'I spoke to Maggie this morning to congratulate her and she said the only thing that she was annoyed about was that everyone now knew her age.

'You would never guess she was 91. She doesn't look anything like her age and is so active and very independent.

'Until a few years ago she worked in a jewellers' shop and she still does dress making and alterations for people – she even altered our curtain for us.

'You'll see her outside keeping the Grove tidy, sweeping up leaves. She is just a real lady and everyone in the community loves her.

'I know she came over here from Northern Ireland and then met her husband Philip who was always from Northern Ireland.

'He died some years ago. Maggie is always out and about with a smile on her face.'

Edna Egwuenu, 38, said: 'I have only lived here since March but I know she is a lovely friendly lady. She always says hello to me and my kids and I see her every day going out with her shopping basket.'

Dilys Webb, 62, said: 'I've lived on the Grove with her for 43 years. Maggie likes to socialise and is very independent. She goes out every single day.

'It's very unusual for her to be in hospital and I've no doubt she'll be back dragging her dustbin across the road for the bin men.

'She really is an inspiration and the perfect person to be the first to have the vaccine.'

Neighbour Stephen is the only person on the cul-de-sac, built in the 1930s, who is actually older than Maggie.

He said: 'Like her I come from Ireland but in my case it's the West Coast and in her case it's lovely Derry. I think she came over for the same reason as most of us – poverty.

'She would have wanted to work and live her life.

'I must have known her for 30 odd years. She is a very small and tiny but a lovely, friendly chatty lady who always asks, 'How are you keeping?'

'Most days I see her carrying two bags – one on each arm. She is very sharp.'

Adela Carter, 72, who lives with her husband Ray, 76, said: 'I have known her for 50 years. She used to work in the Walsgrave pub waiting tables and when she retired she got a job with the jewellers up the road.

'She is incredible and so fit for her age. She goes shopping most days and even gets the bus to Solihull sometimes.

'If you ever had a problem she would try to help. I know she likes a drop of whiskey from the time we all met up to campaign for parking permits.'

Ray added: 'She's very independent. If you offer to help carry her shopping bags she'll always turn you r down.'

Bethan Holliday, 39, added: 'She is just an amazing lady and I could not think of anyone better to make history in this way.

'She is very independent, goes out every day, loves doing her garden and always says hello.'

Games artist Alex Beddows, 26, said: 'I think it's brilliant. I know she gets out a lot and is very active for her age. I would certainly have the vaccine if I was offered it.'

After the vaccination, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis tweeted: 'Fantastic to see Enniskillen woman, Margaret, receive the first vaccine this morning!

'The rollout starts today in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the country - supplied by the U.K. Government & administered by our brilliant NHS. £VDay.'

Mr Shakespeare, the second person to receive the vaccine, said he was 'pleased' to be given the jab.

He added: 'I need to say, the staff at this hospital are wonderful.'

A Royal Navy veteran who was on the front line in WWII has joined the 'V-Day' battle against Covid-19 by becoming one of the first people in the world to receive the vaccine against the virus.

Michael Tibbs, 99 smiled and joked with nurses as he walked into the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth as the NHS mass vaccination programme across 70 hospitals in Britain swung into action.

Dressed in a tweed suit and cardigan, he made his way into the hospital's vaccination centre using a walking frame and accompanied by his son Philip, a retired GP.

A little bemused by the media attention, Mr Tibbs blinked in the flashlights, but smiled when he saw a nurse, and shook her hand as he entered the building.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, said it is hoped that vaccines which are easier to store and distribute than the Pfizer jab will become available soon.

The Pfizer vaccine has to be stored at minus 70C and can only be transported at elevated temperatures a limited number of times.

'That's going to be important as you look at distribution across the world,' he told Sky News.

'It is also important that the people who made the messenger RNA vaccines are thinking about how they can store them at different temperatures, so there will be technological advances there as well.

'But we do need to make sure, going forward, there are vaccines that are easier to distribute and deploy.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government will be releasing figures on the number of people receiving a Covid-19 jab as the vaccination programme is rolled out.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'Because that itself is important in knowing how soon we can get on to releasing the restrictions, because it's a question of how soon we've managed to protect those who are most vulnerable to the disease.'

Mr Hancock said he has 'great hopes' for next summer but also hopes that restrictions can be lifted from the spring.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We've said that we think that, from the spring, things can start getting back to normal, and, because we've been able to get this vaccination programme going sooner than anywhere else in the world, we'll be able to bring that date forward a bit.

'I have great hopes for summer 2021 and I hope we can lift the restrictions from the spring.'

Mr Hancock said the vaccine rollout is an 'incredibly important moment on the march out of this pandemic, but we've still got a long march to go this winter'.

Nurse May Parsons holds Maggie Keenan's hand, 90, at University Hospital in Coventry, before the jab as NHS staff clapped her

This is the moment Maggie made history by becoming the first person in the world the get the approved Covid vaccine

An overwhelmed Margaret Keenan, 90, is applauded by staff as she returns to her ward after making history

Michael Tibbs, 99, receiving COVID vaccine from Liz Rix, Chief Nurse at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth this morning

A huge team of Doctors and Nurses are ready to start vaccinating the Gwent population in South Wales. 300 people will receive the vaccine at a sports centre in Cwmbran today

Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock both tweeted to celebrate V-Day as Maggie and many others got her life-saving jab

Covid-19 vaccination record card and 'I've had my covid vaccination' stickers at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. Some are concerned about being told to carry the card at all times

Now WALES joins Nicola Sturgeon in swiping at Kate and William over their cross-Britain tour

William and Kate (pictured in Manchester yesterday) have been travelling on board the Royal Train for on a nine-stop whirlwind, 48 hour, 1,250-mile tour across England, Scotland and Wales

A Welsh minister swiped at William and Kate over their cross-Britain tour to thank frontline workers today - warning it must not be an 'excuse' for people to break coronavirus rules.

Health minister Vaughan Gething delivered a thinly-veiled rebuke to the royals after he was asked about their 48-hour rail trip stopping in England, Scotland and Wales.

Mr Gething told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I'd rather that no-one was having unnecessary visits.'

He added: 'People have views about the monarchy. But their visit isn't an excuse for people to say they are confused about what they are being asked to do.'

Pressed on whether the royal couple should not be coming to Wales, he replied: 'I'm not particularly that bothered or interested.

'Because I don't think that is going to be an excuse for people to say, ''I should go and behave in a different way''.'

The comments came after Nicola Sturgeon faced a backlash yesterday for a 'rude' and 'petty' jibe at the couple over their trip.

He added: 'People need to keep respecting the rules and try to live in a way that if you have the virus infects as few people as possible.

'And we are seeing rising numbers of cases in parts of Essex, parts of Kent and parts of London in particular - and we've got to keep this under control.'

Mr Hancock said he hoped care home residents would start being vaccinated before Christmas.

He told Sky News: 'We hope to be vaccinating in care homes before Christmas ... but we can only do that as fast as is safe to go.'

Mr Hancock also said vaccine cards being issued to patients were 'standard NHS reminder cards' for the follow-up appointment for the second dose, adding: 'We are not proposing to have a sort of immunity certificate that allows you to do different things.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged people to continue to obey the coronavirus restrictions despite the rollout of a vaccine.

He told Sky News: 'It's great news that we are the first country in the world to have this clinically authorised and being able to roll out this programme.

'And when enough people who are vulnerable to Covid-19 have been vaccinated then, of course, we can lift the restrictions ... we think that will be in the spring.

'It's very important for everyone watching that whilst we vaccinate people - and we will do that at the pace at which the manufacturers can produce the vaccine - whilst we vaccinate people and whilst we get the second dose in, we've got to hold our nerve, we've got to stick together and we've got to follow the rules.

'It is no good everybody relaxing now - we've got to hold firm until the vaccination programme has reached enough vulnerable people so that we don't have people dying from coronavirus in the number that we do today.'

The first person in the world receiving Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday made it a 'truly historic day', the national medical director of NHS England said.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Professor Stephen Powis said: 'It was really, really emotional, I can't tell you just how much emotion there was in that vaccination centre.

'This is a truly historic day, a turning point in this pandemic, another world-first for the NHS, the start of the largest vaccination programme in our history.'

Prof Powis said the start of a Covid-19 vaccination programme 'feels like the beginning of the end'. He said 2020 had been a 'dreadful' year but life would get back to 'normal' in the coming months.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said: 'It's been a really dreadful year 2020, hasn't it? All those things that we are so used to, meeting friends and families, going to the cinema, all being disrupted.

'We're all going on a summer holiday!' UK's vaccine tsar suggests strict lockdown rules can be torn up within months thanks to vaccines

Kate Bingham, head of the UK's Vaccine Taskforce, said it was her 'gut feeling' that summer holidays will be back on the cards next year and social distancing could be scrapped

Summer holidays will be back on the cards next year and social distancing could be scrapped, Britain's vaccine tsar suggested this morning.

Asked when life could return to normal, Kate Bingham, head of the UK's Vaccine Taskforce, said it was her 'gut feeling' that 'we will all be going on summer holidays'.

She hoped that elderly and vulnerable Britons will all be vaccinated against coronavirus by then, which could spell an end to draconian lockdown rules.

Ms Bingham warned Covid-19 was here to stay forever so people will need to maintain sensible hygiene and continue to regularly wash their hands. But she said the country will be in a 'much better place' by summer.

The NHS has this morning started the biggest vaccination drive in British history at 50 hospital sites, with around 5,000 people expected to be incoulated today.

Pfizer's Covid-19 jab is being rolled out to the over-80s, the vulnerable and frontline hospital and care home staff in that order over the coming weeks and months.

Ms Bingham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'My gut feel is that we will all be going on summer holidays.

It is likely that those people most at risk will be vaccinated through to April, and then the JCVI and the Department for Health will then consider how to broaden out the vaccinations to other adults.

'I think by the summer we should be in a much better place to get on planes. I don't think we're going to get away from this virus ever - so we're going to have to maintain sensible hygiene and washing hands, and so on.

'I would like this vaccine to be as routine as an annual flu jab and that we manage it rather than get bowed down by it.'

'We can get those back, not tomorrow, not next week, not next month, but in the months to come as this vaccine programme rolls out, we will start to get back to normal.'

Appearing on BBC Breakfast, he was asked what his message was to people who might have concerns over the vaccine.

Prof Powis said: 'Vaccination is one of the safest forms of medicine.' He added: 'We know they work. This one has been tested in many thousands of people in clinical trials.

'And, of course, the independent regulator, the MHRA, has looked at it carefully, as it always does, and has given it the green light.

'I'm absolutely confident that this ... all vaccines are safe. And so if you get called, we'll be calling you to come and get it, then my advice is come and get it.'

Kate Bingham, chairwoman of the coronavirus vaccine taskforce, said she was 'delighted' the UK is the first country to start vaccination with the Pfizer/BioNTech jab.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that she was 'really pleased with the portfolio we've put together for the UK' and said she also expected the Oxford vaccine would get approved, though there were plans if it does not come through.

'I am optimistic that the Oxford vaccine will get approved, and because of what we have put in place in terms of our industrial legacy and those plans, we will be in a much better position for the future for generating new vaccines as and when we need them.'

Another of the first to take the coronavirus vaccine was 87-year-old Hari Shukla - a retired teacher with a 'local hero' plaque in his name and an OBE for his race relations work in his home city of Newcastle.

Dr Shukla and his wife Ranjan, 83, will both be given the Pfizer jab at Newcastle's Royal Infirmary. Ugandan-born Dr Shukla said: 'I'm so pleased we are hopefully coming towards the end of this pandemic and I am delighted to be doing my bit by having the vaccine. I feel it is my duty to do so and do whatever I can to help'.

'Having been in contact with the NHS staff, I know how hard they all work and I am grateful for everything they have done to keep us safe during the pandemic.'

Having moved to the city in 1974, Mr Shukla has spent much of his life promoting race relations both as a volunteer and professionally.

He became director of the Tyne and Wear Racial Equality Council and worked tirelessly for three decades trying to ease tensions between communities.

Britain is the worst-hit European country from the pandemic, with over 61,000 deaths from COVID-19, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to turn the tide against the disease by rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine before the United States or European Union.

'It's a big relief, because it's not an ordinary crisis,' Dr Shukla said.

About 800,000 doses are expected to be available within the first week, with care home residents and carers, the over 80s and some health service workers the top priority to receive the shots.

Dr Shukla, 87, and his wife Ranjan, 83, were both be given the Pfizer jab at Newcastle's Royal Infirmary

The couple stood side-by-side as the vaccine jabs were administered by retired nurse Suzanne Medows

Britain's daily Covid cases may be starting to slowly creep up again, official statistics suggested today after health chiefs recorded another 14,718 infections - but deaths continue to fall

Fears over new Covid ID cards that Britons will get after vaccination

Every Briton will be handed a Covid-19 vaccination ID card proving they have received the jab and urged to keep it with them at all times with Tory MPs today accusing the Government of bringing in an immunity passport by stealth.

Foreign Office minister James Cleverly has said millions of people in the UK will have their lives 'unlocked' by having the coronavirus jab with a card to prove it.

When asked if the cards were passports by another name, Mr Cleverly repeatedly dodged the question but told Sky News that he hoped that they would not be required as a 'ticket' to get into pubs, restaurants or sporting events. He added: 'Ultimately it's about unlocking people's lives and the economy'.

MailOnline has asked NHS England, which is managing the vaccine rollout, whether it will be mandatory to carry the card. They are yet to respond.

Critics have said the proof of vaccination cards appear easy to fake, with one saying: 'No photo, no details. What could possibly go wrong?'. Another tweeted: 'Not long until they are ready to buy on internet for self completion. Literally just a cardboard card, no security or anything!'

Tory former minister David Jones believes the Government needs to make clear that the UK cards must not be used to stop people living their lives – and if necessary Boris Johnson should legislate to ensure that is the case. He told MailOnline: 'It should be an entirely free decision to carry a . I think people should be vaccinated but I don't think they should be influenced by whether they can get into a restaurant or get into a theatre. That is the danger of having things like this. People may well be told, well you can't come in unless you produce your card. I don't think that is right.'

One way to legislate would be to make it illegal to discriminate against someone based on whether they have had the vaccine. Or ministers could clarify in existing coronavirus regulations that businesses do not have the right to see the cards, as they are medical records.

Critics fear the cards are a huge step towards the immunity passport the Government has vehemently denied it wants to bring in. Questions also remain about the need for the Covid-19 card when they are not standard with the flu jab, for example.

The mass inoculation programme could fuel optimism the world may be turning a corner in the fight against the pandemic that has crushed global economies and killed more than 1.5million people.

Dr Hari Shukla was given a sticker as he became one of the first people in the country to be given the Covid-19 vaccine.

The 87-year-old and his wife, Ranjan, travelled to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech jab in the arm.

Dr Shulka was born in Uganda and came to this country in 1974, working in race relations, and was the director of the Tyne and Wear Racial Equality Council.

The father-of-four, who has nine grandchildren, has been honoured with a CBE for his work in race relations, and has supported numerous charities in voluntary roles.

Nurse Suzanne Medows said 'Congratulations' after she injected him in the left arm, and there was a ripple of applause.

She then said he could make his grandchildren jealous by having a sticker they did not have - one which read 'I've had my Covid vaccination'.

Hospital hubs across the country now have stocks of the Pfizer vaccine and will start vaccinating over-80s, care home staff and health workers in the first wave of the programme.

The main focus will be on over-80s, who will have either been invited for the vaccine while attending an outpatient appointment or be an inpatient at the hospital.

Care home staff are also being invited in the first tranche of vaccines, with any unfilled appointments taken by NHS staff to ensure no doses go to waste.

Writing in the Mail, Sir Simon says NHS staff have been working around the clock to manage the huge logistical challenge of deploying the Pfizer vaccine.

Urging readers to 'play their part' and take up the jab when it is offered to them, he said: 'We can take heart that we are now beginning to have the tools to beat this terrible virus back.'

But he warned that it will take 'some months to reach everyone at risk' and urged the public to continue to take great care for the sake of themselves, their loved ones and the NHS.

His comments come as the Prime Minister said the UK is taking a 'huge step forward' in its fight against coronavirus.

Boris Johnson said he was 'immensely proud' of the scientists who have developed the vaccine, shown to be 95 per cent effective across all age groups.

Sir Simon said delivering the vaccine presents 'complex logistical challenges' as it must be kept at -70C (-94F) until it is needed and only moved a limited number of times.

But he is confident the first doses will get to those most in need, saying months of careful planning has gone into this day.

Some 800,000 doses of the jab have been delivered to the UK so far, enough for 400,000 people.

Hospitals have been told they will be expected to carry out a minimum of one box of vaccine – 975 doses – during the first week.

Once given the first dose, patients will be given a vaccination card stating the date of their crucial second dose, which must be given 21 days later for the vaccine to be fully effective.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PFIZER'S COVID VACCINE

Britain today began mass vaccination of the public with Pfizer/BioNTech's Covid vaccine, bringing the 'end in sight' to pandemic lockdown rules.

Here, MailOnline answers all the questions about the jab, including who will get it first, how much it costs and where people will be vaccinated.

What could the logistical challenges of delivering it be?

Both the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned that transporting and storing Pfizer's breakthrough jab 'won't be easy', while Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, described the logistics behind the mass roll out as 'formidable'.

The problems stem from the fact the vaccine must be kept in long-term storage at -70C.

To keep doses at this ultra-low temperature, they need to be packaged with dry ice and placed in a special transport box the size of a suitcase which hold 5,000 doses.

These containers can prevent the vaccines from spoiling for 10 days if they remain unopened.

Once the batches arrive at vaccination hubs, they can be stored in standard medical fridges at between 2°C and 8°C for up to five days.

Or they can be kept in their shipping boxes for up to 30 days if the containers are topped up with dry ice at least once a week.

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething said the logistical issues meant 'in practical terms at this stage that we cannot deliver this vaccine to care homes'

The sticking point for delivering the jab to places like care homes may be that BioNTech says that the vaccine can only be kept at between 2°C and 8°C for six hours in transit without going off.

Because the Pfizer suitcases hold 5,000 vaccine doses, smaller quantities would have to be removed from the dry ice suitcases for transport to care homes.

But once they are in transit the doses could perish after six hours. It's unclear exactly why this is the case.

Who is top of the list to get a coronavirus vaccine?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has examined data on who suffers the worst outcomes from coronavirus and who is at highest risk of death.

The JCVI’s guidance says the order of priority should be the below.

1. Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers

2. All those who are 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers

3. All those who are 75 years of age and over

4. All those who are 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals, excluding pregnant women and those under 18 years of age

5. All those who are 65 years of age and over

6. Adults aged 18 to 65 years in an at-risk group, such as the morbidly obese

7. All those aged 60 and over

8. All those aged 55 and over

9. All those aged 50 and over

However, because of the aforementioned logistical problems, care homes cannot receive the vaccines straight away, so elderly NHS patients, care workers and NHS staff are receiving the first doses.

Where will people get the vaccine, and who will be administering it?

Work was going on behind the scenes to ensure that NHS staff were ready to start delivering vaccines to the most vulnerable from the start of December.

Vaccinations today started in 70 NHS hospitals and the operation will be scaled up in the coming days and weeks.

Nightingale Hospitals and sports stadiums have been prepared as sites for mass vaccination clinics, while GPs and pharmacists will also be involved in the mammoth Army-backed operation to deliver the jab.

New regulations allowing more healthcare workers — and NHS volunteers — to administer flu and potential Covid-19 vaccines have also been introduced by the Government. They will be supervised by a healthcare professional.

NHS England stated that GP practices offering vaccines must be able to operate from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week including bank holidays when required for reasons such as needing to use up supplies of a vaccine without wasting any.

A letter sent to all practices suggests that it may be necessary for some staff to vaccinate patients on Christmas Day. Vaccination sites are expected to be able to deliver at least around 1,000 jabs per week. The contract to vaccinate begins next Tuesday and GPs will be paid £25.16 for every two jabs they administer.

Volunteers without medical training can put themselves forward through the GoodSAM app to give injections working with St John Ambulance. The role description states: ‘Volunteer vaccinators will be trained to deliver a vaccination to a patient. They will also be ready to act if a patient has an adverse reaction.’

People are also being sought to act as vaccination care volunteers. They will help patients get to the right place for their jab and be on hand to provide first aid if anyone becomes unwell.

Volunteer patient advocates, the third type of helper, will ‘concentrate on the welfare of patients through their experience’.

How many doses of the Pfizer vaccine has the UK bought?

The UK has secured 40million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, with 10million due in the UK by the end of the year. 800,000 doses are already in the country and ready to be used.

Patients need two doses, meaning Number 10 has only secured enough doses for around a third of Britain.

However, it is likely other vaccines, including one from Oxford University that the UK has bought 100million doses of, will be approved in the coming weeks and months.

How long does it protect you for?

Regulators today said there was evidence of 'partial immunity' just seven days after the first dose, offering a glimmer of hope that the roll-out beginning next week may have an effect before Christmas.

But they insisted the best immunity comes seven days after the second dose, which is given three weeks after the first.

It remains a mystery as to how long immunity against Covid lasts for, with top scientists warning that people may need to be vaccinated against the disease every winter, like the flu.

What type of vaccine is this?

The jab is known as a messenger RNA vaccine.

Conventional vaccines are produced using weakened forms of the virus, but mRNAs use only the virus’s genetic code.

An mRNA vaccine is injected into the body where it enters cells and tells them to create antigens. These antigens are recognised by the immune system and prepare it to fight coronavirus.

What are the advantages of this type of vaccine?

No actual virus is needed to create an mRNA vaccine. This means the rate at which it can be produced is dramatically accelerated. As a result, mRNA vaccines have been hailed as potentially offering a rapid solution to new outbreaks of infectious diseases.

In theory, they can also be modified reasonably quickly if, for example, a virus develops mutations and begins to change. mRNA vaccines are also cheaper to produce than traditional vaccines, although both will play an important role in tackling Covid-19.

Where is the vaccine made?

Pfizer's jab is being manufactured at the firm's plant in Belgium, as well as separate sites in the US.

BioNTech — the other drug company involved in the vaccine — has two production facilities in Germany that are expected to start churning out doses in the New Year.

Can the vaccine be transported in a fridge?

Yes, although the vaccine should be kept at -70°C to ensure its long-term preservation, it can be transported by car or van if refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C.

According to the latest data from BioNTech, the company that owns the vaccine, it is only safe to use within six hours of being defrosted if transported in a fridge.

Researchers say this would allow administration of the vaccine to high-risk populations who may be unable to visit vaccination centres, such as care home residents. However, it also says that the vaccine remains stable and viable for up to five days if kept in a stationary fridge — like in a GP surgery - at 2-8°C.

The only difference between the two scenarios is that one involves being chilled and transported, while the other is not moved while being cooled.

Why this difference shortens the vaccine's shelf-life is currently unexplained.

Speaking today at a virtual press conference, the vaccine's developers hinted the restrictions would be eased as more data was gathered, indicating the limits are currently overly-cautious to ensure the vaccine reaches society's most vulnerable people with no drop-off in its efficacy.

Are they safe?

All vaccines undergo rigorous testing and have oversight from experienced regulators.

Some believe mRNA vaccines are safer for the patient as they do not rely on any element of the virus being injected into the body. mRNA vaccines have been tried and tested in the lab and on animals before moving to human studies.

The human trials of mRNA vaccines – involving tens of thousands of people worldwide – have been going on since early 2020 to show whether they are safe and effective.

Pfizer will continue to collect safety and long-term outcomes data from participants for two years.

Can you get the Covid vaccine privately?

The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family will not be able to jump the queue for a Covid-19 vaccine and even Boris Johnson will have to wait his turn, it was revealed last month.

No one will be given 'special treatment' when the country launches its mass-immunisation drive, according to Government sources.

Even rich companies won't be able to skip the line, despite fears wealthy corporations would snap up vaccines directly to get their staff back to work and make up for the money haemorrhaged during lockdown.

Could employers force staff to get a vaccine?

It is 'highly unlikely' private employers could force staff to get a Covid jab when one finally becomes available, according to lawyers.

Although most of Britain will need to get vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and stop the disease spreading, a jab can't be given without people's consent.

Lawyers at the global firm Morgan Lewis said it was not likely that firms in the UK could start enforcing vaccination.

They said: 'A vaccine could only be lawfully administered provided that the individual consented to such treatment. It is highly doubtful an employee could be described as consenting to treatment under any degree of compulsion by their employer.'

Will I get a vaccine passport if I get the jab?

Immunity passports have been touted as the key for getting swathes of society back to normal life, and allowing millions to evade restrictions. This is because they would indicate someone is protected against the virus, and is able to fight it off without getting severely ill or dying.

Bars, cinemas and football stadiums could turn away Britons who have not been vaccinated against coronavirus, the UK's vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi suggested.

But ministers have since denied Britons will need 'immunity certificates' to go to the pub. Michael Gove was asked yesterday during a round of interviews whether people could need to prove they had been given coronavirus vaccines to enter bars and restaurants. He replied flatly: 'No.'

Pressed on whether they could be required at theatres or sports centres, he said: 'No I don't think so, no.'

Mr Hancock today said that a vaccine passport 'isn't part of our plan'. He told Sky News: 'While we know that this vaccine protects you from getting ill with Covid - we don't yet know how much it stops you transmitting Covid until we roll it out broadly.'

Don’t vaccines take a long time to produce?

In the past it has taken years, sometimes decades, to produce a vaccine.

Traditionally, vaccine development includes various processes, including design and development stages followed by clinical trials – which in themselves need approval before they even begin.

But in the trials for a Covid-19 vaccine, things look slightly different. A process which usually takes years has been condensed to months.

While the early design and development stages look similar, the clinical trial phases overlap, instead of taking place sequentially.

And pharmaceutical firms have begun manufacturing before final approval has been granted – taking on the risk that they may be forced to scrap their work.

The new way of working means that regulators around the world can start to look at scientific data earlier than they traditionally would do.

Aren’t there other vaccines?

Yes, recent data from the Oxford/AstraZeneca, and Moderna vaccine trials suggests their candidates also have high efficacy.

Oxford data indicates the vaccine has 62 per cent efficacy when one full dose is given followed by another full dose.

But when people were given a half dose followed by a full dose at least a month later, its efficacy rose to 90 per cent, according to data. But the breakthrough results from trials of Oxford University's vaccine were based on 'shaky science', experts have warned.

The combined analysis from both dosing regimes resulted in an average efficacy of 70.4 per cent.

Final results from the trials of Moderna’s vaccine suggest it has 94.1 per cent efficacy, and 100 per cent efficacy against severe Covid-19.

Nobody who was vaccinated with the vaccine known as mRNA-1273 developed severe coronavirus.

'And the award for worst acting goes to...': GMB viewers hide their eyes and 'cringe' as Matt Hancock CRIES on live TV after V-Day vaccinations begin

Good Morning Britain viewers were left cringing on their sofas as they watched Matt Hancock break down in tears after the first coronavirus vaccinations were given out.

The Health Secretary started sobbing after a 90-year-old grandmother from Coventry and a Warwickshire pensioner called William Shakespeare became the first people in the world to get an approved coronavirus vaccine as the country took a gigantic step towards ending the pandemic on 'V-Day'.

But viewers dubbed his appearance a 'truly shameful performance' and accused him of fake crying with 'crocodile tears'.

One Twitter user wrote: 'And the Oscar for fake crying goes to Matt Hancock. The scene where he wiped away a tear won it for him I think.'

While another said: 'Truly shameful performance in every way for Matt Hancock.'

And another wrote: 'Crocodile tears, cannot stand this man. If he told me the world was round, I'd immediately think it was flat.'

Charlotte D said: 'Matt Hancock faking a cry on GMB. A sob that turns into a smirk that turns into a chuckle. You're fooling no one!'

Family doctors and other primary care staff have been put on standby to start delivering the jab from next week.

Some 280 GP vaccine hubs are expected to start administering the jab from Monday, with more practices across the country joining in throughout December.

They have been advised that they will need to use the vaccine within three-and-a-half days, not the previously suggested five days, to adhere to regulatory requirements set by the MHRA, the UK's medicines regulator.

Mass vaccination centres at sports grounds and conference centres are not expected to open until the new year, once the alternative Oxford/AstraZeneca jab has been given the go-ahead by regulators.

Hospitals have now cared for more than 190,000 seriously ill Covid-19 patients and have seen beds fill up again in recent weeks, according to Sir Simon.

A further 14,718 people tested positive for coronavirus and there were a further 189 deaths reported yesterday.

Britain became the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine last week, after regulators gave Pfizer/BioNTech's jab the green-light. Rigorous scientific trials have found it is 95 per cent effective, works in the elderly and is safe.

No10 has ordered 40million doses of the jab, which will arrive in batches and be shared equally among the UK.

No other vaccines have yet to be approved — but officials hope Oxford University's jab will be rubber-stamped before Christmas.

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething yesterday confirmed all seven health boards in Wales will begin vaccinating people from tomorrow morning.

He told a press conference in Cardiff the first set of vaccines are 'ready to be deployed' and would be available to just under 19,000 over-80s, care home staff and NHS workers.

But care home residents won't be able to get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in Wales just yet despite being front of the queue because 'of the practical delivery arrangements', Mr Gething said.

The logistics of storing and transporting the complex Pfizer vaccine had delayed plans to make care home residents the first to receive the jabs.

The vaccine currently comes in packs of between 975 and 4,875 doses, which must be used within six hours of being transported - even if kept refrigerated in special cool bags.

Many care homes have only dozens of residents, meaning that even the smallest package would be far too many doses and lay hundreds of precious jabs to waste.

This unpacking process – which will be done by licensed private contractors working for the NHS – needs to be signed off by the MHRA, but sources last night said the issue was expected to be resolved imminently.

The issue may become redundant once the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine – which does not require the same super-cold storage – is approved.

Downing St's top advisers believe Oxford University/AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine — which Britain has ordered 100million doses of — will be approved before Christmas.

The jab — which trials have shown is 60 per cent effective — is much easier to transport because it can be stored in normal fridges or even at room temperature.

It took the MHRA eight working days to give Pfizer's vaccine the go-ahead after the Department of Health officially requested they evaluate it.

If AstraZeneca's can be done within the same time frame, a decision could be announced as soon as today.

Matt Hancock breaking down in tears on live TV today continues a long list of cringeworthy moments for the Health Secretary over the past three years.

The Conservative Minister began crying on ITV's Good Morning Britain after being watching the first people in the world to get an approved coronavirus vaccine.

However some viewers were unimpressed by the moment, saying on social media that it appeared he might have been acting and left them feeling awkward.

But it's certainly not the first time Mr Hancock has left viewers hiding behind the sofa, after trying to perform parkour moves and being taught how to moondance.

He also famously sang an awful rendition of Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' during karaoke with Thérèse Coffey at the Conservative party conference in 2017.

Here are the politician's top ten most cringe-inducing moments in recent years:

10. Accused of breaking 10pm curfew (October 2020)

Matt Hancock was accused of breaking the government's coronavirus drinking curfew by continuing to consume alcohol in a House of Commons bar after 10pm.

A senior Tory MP had told the Mail on Sunday that Mr Hancock remained in the Smoking Room bar until at least 10.25pm on a Monday in October.

It was reported he arrived at the bar just before a 9.40pm vote, ordered a glass of white wine and joked: 'The drinks are on me - but Public Health England are in charge of the payment methodology so I will not be paying anything.'

However Mr Hancock's spokesman later insisted the minister had not broken curfew rules and that the 'proposed timeline of events is false'.

9. Launches an app with his own name (February 2018)

Matt Hancock built a social network called 'Matt Hancock MP', with the aim of allowing him to communicate with people within his West Suffolk constituency.

But users logging in area greeted by an introductory video of Mr Hancock and system alerts that 'Matt Hancock would like to access your photos'.

There were concerns among some Apple users that the message suggested their privacy had been compromised, although the app does ask for permissions first.

It also adds: 'Matt Hancock would like to access your camera' – while on the Android version the message 'Matt Hancock keeps stopping' was displayed to some users.

WHERE ARE INFECTION RATES RISING IN LONDON?

Borough name

Infection rate per 100,000 people (week to Dec 2)

% change in a week

Haringey

Bromley

Kingston

Hackney

Merton

Harrow

Bexley

Wandsworth

Sutton

Waltham Forest

Barking

Lewisham

Islington

Havering

Newham

Enfield

Barnet

Croydon

Lambeth

Southwark

Tower Hamlets

Redbridge

Hillingdon

Greenwich

Camden

Westminster

Richmond

Hounslow

Kensington

Ealing

Brent

Hammersmith

173.1

170.9

205.6

165.4

184.5

176.4

249.7

119.2

154.6

252

298.7

113.1

119.2

319.4

242.7

193.2

163.7

145.3

115

106.6

206.9

294.5

165.2

154.9

87.8

92.2

79.3

153.9

103.1

160

143.4

98.3

46.70%

40.20%

33.20%

32.90%

29.60%

26.60%

24.70%

23.60%

22.70%

18.70%

17.30%

15.30%

14.20%

11.70%

11.60%

10.40%

9.60%

6.20%

2.70%

1.50%

0.40%

-0.40%

-1.20%

-1.30%

-2.10%

-4.40%

-9.20%

-10.30%

-10.60%

-16.50%

-17.60%

-18.80%

City Hall officials are growing increasingly nervous about London being moved into Tier Three, which would see pubs, restaurants and bars forced to shut and offer only takeaway services.

It is currently in the second bracket of restrictions, which bans socialising indoors with other households.

Tory heavyweight and London MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith has warned the move would be an 'unmitigated disaster', and the capital's mayor Sadiq Khan has called on Westminster not to impose the restriction that would be the final nail in the coffin for thousands of small businesses.

Mr Hancock today dangled the threat of tighter restrictions over the capital, amid rising cases.

'My message to everybody in London is 'let's stick by the rules' and not push the boundaries of the rules, but rather try to limit the spread of this infection because the case numbers are going up in parts of London, in parts of Essex, in parts of Kent, and we know what happens when case numbers go up, sadly more people end up in hospital and more people end up dying,' he told LBC radio.

'So, we've got to stick at it and we have got to keep this virus suppressed whilst we get the roll-out (of the vaccine) going.

'So, my message to everybody in London is 'please respect the restrictions, respect what needs to be done, keep yourself and your family and your community and your city safe'.'

Asked whether London could go into tougher restrictions on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'This is an incredibly important moment on the march out of this pandemic, but we've still got a march to go this winter.

'People need to keep respecting the rules and try to live in a way that if you have the virus infects as few people as possible, and we are seeing rising numbers of cases in parts of Essex, parts of Kent and parts of London in particular and we've got to keep this under control.

'The whole strategy all along has been to suppress the virus, protecting the economy, education and the NHS until a vaccine can make us safe.

'That strategy is clearly working because a vaccine is starting to be able to keep us safe, but the suppress the virus bit is still absolutely critical.'

On a visit to London's Guy's Hospital, which began to give out Pfizer/BioNTech's jab today, Boris Johnson urged Britons to stick to the rules. He said: 'We're not there yet, we haven't defeated this virus yet.

'It's very important for people to understand... that the virus is, alas, still rising in some parts of the country. It's rising, for instance, in London.

'We've got it down hugely as a result of the measures we took in November, which have just come off. People made a huge, huge effort.'

Mr Johnson described the start of the mass vaccine roll-out as being a 'shot in the arm for an entire nation' but warned: 'We can't afford to relax now.'

Public Health England data shows the virus has also spread to the over 60s - who are most at risk of hospitalisation from the virus - where it is at 112 per 100,000, the same rate as before lockdown.

The most cases are being recorded in young people aged between 16 and 29, at 193 per 100,000.

A health source has warned Public Health England is 'starting to get worried' about the capital today, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The insider added there was 'concern across the system' over London, and whether it should be moved up a tier.

The minister for London Paul Scully, who is also MP for a constituency in the borough of Sutton, told the Evening Standard it was 'too early' to say what is happening as the tiers would be reviewed in a few days time.

'Clearly we want to at the very least to stay in Tier Two,' he said.

'The only way we are going to do that is if we all look after each other by adhering to 'hands, face, space'.

'That way we can save lives and protect our economy.'

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert from the University of East Anglia, said it was 'very worrying' that cases were still going up in the capital, and warned Tier Three should now be considered for the city.

'There were more cases at the end of lockdown than at the start in London,' he told The Telegraph.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out moving the capital into Tier Three today, he said

'It is very worrying when cases were still continuing to increase in these regons despite the national lockdown.

'It is quite likely that case numbers will start to accelerate even more in the coming days, probably including in areas not yet showing an increase, because of more movement around London. If cases in London were rising even during a national lockdown then we do need to reconsider the tier allocation in these areas.

London's outbreak is focused in the north-east of the city with Havering its Covid-19 hotspot, recording the highest rate at 319.4 per 100,000

Havering, in the north-east of the city, is the capital's Covid-19 hotspot, after recording an infection rate of 319.4 per 100,000 in the last week of lockdown. This was a rise of 11.7 per cent on the week before.

It is followed by Barking, where the infection rate rose by 17 per cent to 298 per 100,000, and Redbridge, where infections were at 194.5 per 100,000 - the same level as the previous week.

Only four of its 32 boroughs have infection rates below 100 per 100,000, according to figures from the Department of Health.

The lowest number of infections are in Richmond, where they have fallen to 79.3 per 100,000. It was followed by Camden, at 87.8 per 100,000, and Westminster, at 92.2 per 100,000.

Professor Kevin Fenton, the capital's director of public health, warned on Friday the city could face the toughest restrictions if the 'promising reductions' in Covid-19 cases are reversed.

'The promising reductions we had begun to see with the recent national restrictions across the capital have shown signs of slowing in recent days - a stark reminder of just how delicate our situation is,' he said.

'If we want to avoid being placed in Tier Three, it is vital we keep transmission down.'

Tory heavyweight and London MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith laid into suggestions that London would be forced into Tier Three today, warning it would be an 'unmitigated disaster' for the capital.

'London is the powerhouse of the UK economy, we must not be moved into Tier Three,' he told MailOnline.

'Rates are falling and such a decision cannot be taken by health officials alone, there must be balance in this decision making. Tier Three would be an unmitigated disaster.'

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said yesterday: 'I want to be as transparent about this as I can.

'London is in Tier Two - these restrictions are serious. If we don't follow the rules and London's Covid-19 cases continue to rise, we could be moved into Tier Three, which none of us want.

'We cannot risk this. Follow the rules.'

The second patient on the planet to receive the approved coronavirus jab was an 81-year-old man from Warwickshire called William Shakespeare.

His name, and appropriate home county, raised wry smiles on an otherwise landmark day in the history of medicine as Britain's vaccination programme got underway.

Social media lit up with humorous Bard-related references, with one quipping it was the 'taming of the flu'.

The in-patient at University Coventry Hospital's frailty ward, known as Bill, himself said: 'I need to say, the staff at this hospital are wonderful.'

On so-called V-Day, hailed as the moment the UK turns the tide on the pandemic, the first vaccines were administered by nurses at the hospital.

Maggie Keenan, 90, became the first to receive her jab by Matron May Parsons.

She was quickly followed by Mr Shakespeare, who was pictured receiving the shot in his left arm, and wearing a pair of festive slippers with his hospital gown.

The second patient in the world to receive the approved coronavirus jab is an 81-year-old man from Warwickshire called William Shakespeare

His name, and appropriate home county, raised wry smiles on an otherwise landmark day in the history of medicine as Britain's vaccination programme got underway

Mr Shakespeare was pictured receiving the shot in his left arm and wearing a pair of Christmas slippers with his hospital gown

Many of the watching world were in disbelief that the second person to receive the vaccine was called William Shakespeare, and remarkably even shared his county with the Bard, from Stratford-upon-Avon.

One tweeted: 'Actually I heard the second person to get the vaccine was Christopher Marlowe but William Shakespeare took all the credit.'

Another reworded those immortal lines from Macbeth and wrote: 'By the pricking of my arm, something good this way comes.

'A double injection is no trouble, Covid be gone, I can leave my bubble.'

The Pfizer Vaccine: A Q&A

Is the vaccine definitely safe?

Yes. The vaccine has been developed quickly but has gone through the same rigorous testing process as any other medicine before it is approved by regulators.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has stressed that no stage has been skipped, but simply sped up because it is an emergency.

Following the ebola crisis, emergency funding mechanisms were put in place, allowing money to be allocated quickly.

And new technologies – specifically the mRNA process previously only used in cancer treatments – has also sped up the process.

Were the trials big enough?

The Pfizer vaccine was tested on 43,500 people from diverse backgrounds across six countries. This is a large sample for safety data to be based on and no concerns were raised. While the UK regulator was first to approve it, European and American watchdogs are expected to follow suit and give the green light very soon.

What is an MRNA vaccine and can it affect genetic code?

No. Injecting mRNA does not do anything to the DNA of a human cell. The mRNA carries the genetic information of the Covid-19 virus and tricks the body into producing some of the viral proteins itself.

It works by introducing a messenger RNA molecule into the body, which gives the body instructions to build copies of the protein spikes on the Covid-19 virus. The immune system then learns to recognise and produce antibodies against the protein.

What are the reported side effects?

The reported side effects were mild, with the worst cases comparing it to a 'severe hangover' which cleared up quickly. The most common side effects were fatigue (4 per cent) and headache (2 per cent) after the second dose, given 21 days after the first vaccine.

What about longer term?

While there could be problems that are still unknown, most vaccines show up adverse side effects quickly. The most recent example was with swine flu, when around 900 cases of narcolepsy – a condition that causes sufferers to fall asleep suddenly – were reported a few weeks after vaccination.

However, this was still very rare, with a study finding that around one in 55,000 jabs was associated with narcolepsy. The MHRA has said it will be actively monitoring the rollout of the vaccine through its yellow card reporting system.

This will enable anyone to report side effects that they believe were caused by the vaccine.

I've had coronavirus, do I need the vaccine?

Yes. A recent study led by Public Health England found levels of antibodies, which neutralise a virus before it enters the body's cells, fell dramatically in many patients a few months after recovery.

What's more, the diversity in the immune response from natural infection might be because of differences in the amount of virus to which the person was exposed.

With a vaccine, everyone gets the same dose and therefore the same level of protection.

Why won't pregnant women be offered it?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that pregnant women do not get the vaccine because there is no data as yet on the safety of Covid-19 vaccines in pregnancy.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer, has said the guidance for pregnant women is a precaution and not a sign that the JCVI has identified a 'terrible problem'.

And no children?

It is normal for vaccines to be tested on adults before children, which would require a totally separate paediatric testing programme. Pfizer has now started testing its vaccine on children as young as 12.

SIMON STEVENS: V-Day is a historic moment… and you can play your part

BySimon Stevens Chief Executive Of NHS England For The Daily Mail

This is a landmark day for our country and a momentous day for the NHS as we begin the biggest vaccination campaign in our history.

NHS staff have been pulling out all the stops to prepare for 'V-day'.

When nurses deliver the first 'jabs' this morning it will be the culmination of months of hard work by many people here and abroad, and the latest intervention from the NHS to help protect the public from Covid-19.

When the first jab is given today, scientists, doctors and health professionals will have together achieved in months what normally takes years.

So it's right to say a huge thank you to all those who have worked tirelessly to develop the vaccine, to the volunteers who selflessly took part in the trials and the expert regulators for the thorough job that they have done in ensuring it is both safe and effective.

This is a landmark day for our country and a momentous day for the NHS as we begin the biggest vaccination campaign in our history, writes Sir Simon Stevens

Of course, it will take some months to reach everyone at risk as more vaccine supply comes online.

So in the meantime we need to continue to take great care.

Too many of us have lost loved ones or seen them face serious illness. And all of us have endured the pain of separation, isolation and anxiety that have resulted from needed social distancing measures.

So after such a testing year we can take heart that we are now beginning to have the tools to beat this terrible virus back.

But while we celebrate progress it is vital we do not let down our guard.

Following the guidance on 'hands, face and space' will only be more important as we head into the festive season.

As everyone knows, prevention is better than cure.

Since the first cases were diagnosed back in January NHS staff have given their all to care for almost 200,000 patients with Covid-19 while keeping other essential services going. NHS staff are raring to go and today is just the first step on the road back to normality.

Delivering the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine presents complex logistical challenges as it must be kept at -70C until it is needed and can only be moved a limited number of times after leaving the manufacturer.

That is why we are starting vaccinations at 50 hospital hubs this week, then expanding to more hospitals in the coming weeks, along with GP surgeries and care homes.

Community pharmacists and vaccination centres housed in sports venues and conference centres will be stood up as more supplies come on-stream in the new year.

The NHS has a proven track record of delivering vaccines for diseases including tuberculosis, polio, and meningitis.

The history of the health service is one of innovation and staff are now showing the same agility in delivering the vaccine that they did during the first wave of infections, when hospitals were rapidly reconfigured to respond to the pandemic.

Daily Mail readers can play their part. The NHS will contact you when it is your turn to receive the vaccine. And when you are contacted, please do take up the offer.

As our doctors have said, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and delivering the programme is the work of months rather than days or weeks.

But when we come to look back on today, all of us in the health service hope that it will mark a decisive turning point in our shared battle against coronavirus.

HOW DO THE OXFORD, MODERNA AND PFIZER/BIONTECH VACCINES COMPARE?

Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech have both released interim results of the final stage clinical trials of their vaccines, with both suggesting they are extremely effective.

Oxford University has published the findings from its second phase, which show the jab provokes an immune response and is safe to use – it is not yet clear how well it protects against coronavirus in the real world.

Here's how they compare:

CREATOR:

MODERNA

PFIZER & BIONTECH

OXFORD UNIVERSITY

How it works:

mRNA vaccine – Genetic material from coronavirus is injected to trick immune system into making 'spike' proteins and learning how to attack them.

mRNA vaccine – both Moderna's and Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccines work in the same way.

Recombinant viral vector vaccine – a harmless cold virus taken from chimpanzees was edited to produce the 'spike' proteins and look like the coronavirus.

How well does it work?

94.5% effective (90 positive in placebo group, 5 positive in vaccine group) .

95% effective (160 positive in placebo group, 8 positive in vaccine group).

62% - 90% effective, depending on dosing.

How much does it cost?

Moderna confirmed it will charge countries placing smaller orders, such as the UK's five million doses, between £24 and £28 per dose. US has secured 100million doses for $1.525billion (£1.16bn), suggesting it will cost $15.25 (£11.57) per dose.

The US will pay $1.95bn (£1.48bn) for the first 100m doses, a cost of $19.50 (£14.80) per dose.

Expected to cost £2.23 per dose. The UK's full 100m dose supply could amount to just £223million.

Can we get hold of it?

UK has ordered five million doses which will become available from March 2021. Moderna will produce 20m doses this year, expected to stay in the US.

UK has already ordered 40million doses, of which 10million could be available in 2020. First vaccinations expected in December.

UK has already ordered 100million doses and is expected to be first in line to get it once approved.

What side effects does it cause?

Moderna said the vaccine is 'generally safe and well tolerated'. Most side effects were mild or moderate but included pain, fatigue and headache, which were 'generally' short-lived.

Pfizer and BioNTech did not produce a breakdown of side effects but said the Data Monitoring Committee 'has not reported any serious safety concerns'.

Oxford said there have been no serious safety concerns. Mild side effects have been relatively common in small trials, with many participants reporting that their arm hurt after the jab and they later suffered a headache, exhaustion or muscle pain. More data is being collected.

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