Retired GP and wife first to receive new Covid-19 jab

AN elderly couple from Omagh have become the first to receive the new Covid-19 vaccine locally.
Retired GP, Dr Pat O’Neill and his wife Agnes, were among the first people who got their first dose
at the Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon.
It was an especially memorable moment for them as the dose was administered by their daughter, Dr
Ciara O’Neill, of the Three Spires practice.
Both the Three Spires and Drumragh Practices received their allocations of vaccine this week. A total of 700 people over 80 received their initial jabs yesterday.
The two practices are using the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine and people are this week being urged to be patient as the roll-out programme continues.
Speaking to the UH, the former Dr O’Neill, said he was “delighted” to have received the jab.
His wife, Agnes, said yesterday was the day she’d been waiting for.
“There was no problem with getting the jab at all and I didn’t even know I was being jagged,” Dr
O’Neill said.
“It’s something that I was very much looking forward to because without this vaccination we are more or less confined to the house and unable to go anywhere. This will give us leeway, but not just yet.
“Our hope is to get full immunity soon. There is a certain amount of protection even in the first jab,
but it’s not to be recommended to go out and party.
“I’m a retired GP and there’s nobody living at the moment who has ever witnessed anything like this
pandemic before. I remember many bad flu seasons, but nothing from my many years in the medical
profession even comes close to comparing with what’s happening now.
“It has been interesting reading about the vaccine, and you really can’t miss being informed because
there is so much coverage on the news. There are a lot of views on it, and some nonsense talked.”
His wife, Agnes, who taught at St Brigid’s High School in Omagh, was also delighted to have received
the vaccine.
“I’m delighted, absolutely thrilled and relieved and really couldn’t wait for this day to come,” she said.
“What I’m looking forward to most is to get the ray of sunshine and get out of doors to mix and chat with people. I’ve missed people coming into the house for a chat and being able to visit neighbours
and friends.”