Great Britain became the first nation to start administering a coronavirus vaccine to its population after also being the first one to approve the use of a vaccine. The country is starting to give the vaccine to its senior citizens first.

Britain has decided to vaccinate its citizens in order of priority based on how vulnerable they are to the virus. Residents of elderly homes have been deemed to be the most vulnerable. This is because the elderly have weaker immune systems leaving them more vulnerable to the effects of the disease. The NHS is planning on working in waves as it tries to work its way through the entire population.

The government is promoting vaccination using a new slogan, “COVID-19 immunisation. Enjoy life. Protect yourself.”

The first vaccination was conducted on Monday and it was widely covered by the mainstream media. It is being hailed as a historic moment. The first one to be vaccinated is 90-year-old Margaret Keenan. The first man to be vaccinated was a namesake of the great English writer William Shakespeare. Stephen Powis, the national medical director of England’s National Health Service said that “This really feels like the beginning of the end… meeting friends and family, going to the cinema, have been disrupted. We can get those back. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not next month. But in the months to come.”

Those who have been vaccinated are given vaccination cards. Officials claim that the cards are just meant to be presented for the second dose of the vaccine. But there are some who are worried that the cards might be used to discriminate against those who have not been vaccinated. People without the card might be forced to keep themselves locked down.

Some officials refused to rule out the possibility that the vaccination cards may be used as a kind of pass in the future. For example, UK’s vaccine minister Nadim Zahawi has said he can see restaurants and other establishments may want to know if their patrons have been vaccinated. The cards would be the easiest way to prove that.