Front-line nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first New Yorker to receive the coronavirus vaccine outside trials on Monday at the start of a campaign in what was once the global centre of the pandemic.
Ms Lindsay was administered the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at Long Island Jewish Medical Centre in Queens, New York, in an online event that included comments from the state's governor Andrew Cuomo.
The intensive care nurse, wearing a face mask and seated in a hospital chair, joined those assembled in clapping after receiving her jab.
"It didn't feel any different from taking any other vaccine," she said. "I feel hopeful today. Relieved. I feel like healing is coming.
“I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history. I want to instil public confidence that the vaccine is safe. We are in a pandemic so we all have to do our part.”
Mr Cuomo thanked Ms Lindsay and other heroes for their efforts in helping Covid-19 patients during the pandemic and urged other New Yorkers to get jabs to stop the virus in its tracks.
“This vaccine is exciting,” the governor said. “I believe this is the weapon that will end the war.”
Northwell Health, the largest hospital system in the state, said the first vaccine recipients – Ms Lindsay and a doctor at Lenox Hill Hospital – had worked tirelessly since the virus broke out in New York 10 months ago.
“It is their hope that their willingness to be among the first to be vaccinated in the region will serve as an example to the general public to take advantage of this life-saving treatment,” it said.
The pandemic ravaged New York state, infecting 781,000 people, killing 35,000 and severely weakening the economy. The nationwide toll is 16,400,000 cases and almost 300,000 deaths from the virus.
The vaccine, developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, won emergency-use approval from federal regulators last week after it was found to be 95 per cent effective in preventing illness in a clinical trial.
The first 2.9 million doses began to be shipped to transit centres around the US on Sunday, about 11 months after the country documented its first cases of a disease that was first recorded in central China last year.
US President Donald Trump celebrated on social media, telling his 88.6 million followers: “First Vaccine Administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD!”
Hospitals in Texas, Utah and Minnesota were expecting to receive the first doses of the vaccine on Monday. The doses were shipped around the country on Sunday using dry ice to maintain the necessary subarctic temperatures.
More healthcare workers are expected to receive the vaccine in the days ahead.
“I’m optimistic and I’m kind of excited to be getting it,” said Kyle Monahan, a radiation therapist in Washington, DC, who is slated to receive the first dose of the vaccine on Wednesday
“It’s kind of a privilege to be one of the first people to get it,” he added.
Mr Monahan said he does not expect any immediate changes to his work or lifestyle until more Americans become vaccinated in the coming months but called it “a step in the right direction.”
“I don’t think anything would change right away,” said Mr Monahan. “I think we’d still have to wear a mask and at my job we’d still have to wear the standard PPE.”
“This is the most difficult vaccine roll-out in history,” Surgeon General Jerome Adams told Fox News on Monday.
“There will be hiccups undoubtedly, but we’ve done everything from a federal level and are working with partners to make it go as smoothly as possible. Please be patient with us.”
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
More on animal trafficking
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The five pillars of Islam
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Day 4, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage appeared to have been hard done by when he had his dismissal of Sami Aslam chalked off for a no-ball. Replays suggested he had not overstepped. No matter. Two balls later, the exact same combination – Gamage the bowler and Kusal Mendis at second slip – combined again to send Aslam back.
Stat of the day Haris Sohail took three wickets for one run in the only over he bowled, to end the Sri Lanka second innings in a hurry. That was as many as he had managed in total in his 10-year, 58-match first-class career to date. It was also the first time a bowler had taken three wickets having bowled just one over in an innings in Tests.
The verdict Just 119 more and with five wickets remaining seems like a perfectly attainable target for Pakistan. Factor in the fact the pitch is worn, is turning prodigiously, and that Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers have also been finding the strip to their liking, it is apparent the task is still a tough one. Still, though, thanks to Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed, it is possible.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Mubalada World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
The years Ramadan fell in May
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
