100-year-old Greenfield resident gets Covid vaccine

A STRABANE care home resident who recently turned 100 was among some of the first people in Tyrone to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

One-hundred-year-old Patrick McKeever is the oldest resident in Greenfield Residential Home and he proudly received his Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday.

Patrick, who is originally from Derry, celebrated his 100th birthday on October 6, 2020, and marked the major milestone with a small party in the home with the residents and staff.

The Western Trust commenced the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine programme on Monday, beginning with staff and residents in care homes in Tyrone including Strabane.

The team visited Greenfield Residential Home on Tuesday, and Patrick along with the other residents were eager to receive the vaccine in the hope of the resumption of normal life.

Ann McConnell, director of human resources at the Western Trust said, “We are delighted to be offering a Covid-19 vaccine to care home residents and staff in the Western Trust area.

“This vaccine gives us hope that we are coming towards the end  of this pandemic, however we should not become complacent in our approach,” she explained.

“We need everyone to continue to play a part in managing the crisis. People have been heroic in their efforts to keep patients safe, to attend to their work and to keep their colleagues safe.

“We need you to continue with this work until the rollout of this vaccine is complete. Please remain vigilant – wear a face covering, adhere to social distancing and follow all the public health advice especially during the holiday period and then we can look forward to a better and safer 2021 for all of us,” said Mrs McConnell.