91-year-old UK man among first in world to be vaccinated: ‘I want to live a long time’

A 91-year-old British man who was among the first in the world to be vaccinated for the coronavirus expressed feelings of relief and excitement during an interview with CNN on Tuesday. 

Martin Kenyon, who lives in London, said he called Guy’s Hospital in the city’s downtown area once he heard on the news they were administering vaccinations for older citizens. 

“They spent various times asking me questions … this and that not very interesting, and they said come at half past 12,” Kenyon said. “Of course, I couldn’t damn well find any place to park my car, so I was late.” 

Kenyon said after he arrived and checked in, hospital officials put him on a short list and he “went off and had a rather nasty lunch” while he waited his turn to be administered the vaccine. 

“It didn’t hurt at all,” Kenyon said of the moment he was stuck in the arm with the needle. “I didn’t know it [the needle] had gone in until it had gone out.” 

this interview wins the day pic.twitter.com/HtnjnyLZwg

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) December 8, 2020

“I am not going to have the bloody bug now,” Kenyon said, when asked how it felt to be among the first in the world to receive the vaccine.  

“I don’t intend to have it because I’ve got granddaughters,” he said. “And I want to live a long time. I want to enjoy their lives.”

Kenyon said he has not been able to see his granddaughters or hug them much this year, something he looks forward to doing now that he is protected from the virus. 

“I’m going to for Christmas,” he said with a smile. “I’m going home to tell them now. They don’t know I’ve been here today.” 

Kenyon also displayed a card given to him by the hospital with his name on it and the date of a follow up appointment in 10 days. 

“Pretty unexciting,” he remarked. 

Kenyon’s vaccination comes roughly one week after the U.K. approved the vaccine candidate from Pfizer and BioNTech.  

Fifty hospitals will administer the first doses of the vaccine, The New York Times reported, until the country can roll out a more expansive vaccination procedure for younger citizens and those less at risk for having serious health complications from the virus.