103-year-old great grandma speaks out after becoming one of the oldest patients to get Covid vaccine in Leeds

There was a sense of relief and excitement at a GP surgery in Seacroft today as families brought their loved ones to have the Covid-19 vaccine.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Among those being vaccinated at The Grange Medical Centre was 103-year-old Marjorie Patterson, who is one of the oldest patients in Leeds to have been given the vaccine.

Great grandma Marjorie was beaming after getting her first dose and urged others to book their appointments if contacted by their GP.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Marjorie told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I’ll be able to go out more. I’m looking forward to having a nice change, I will even change my lipstick!

103-year-old Marjorie Patterson, who is one of the oldest patients in Leeds to get the Covid-19 vaccine, with Andrea Mann, clinical director for the Cross Gates Primary Care Network (Image: Tony Johnson)103-year-old Marjorie Patterson, who is one of the oldest patients in Leeds to get the Covid-19 vaccine, with Andrea Mann, clinical director for the Cross Gates Primary Care Network (Image: Tony Johnson)
103-year-old Marjorie Patterson, who is one of the oldest patients in Leeds to get the Covid-19 vaccine, with Andrea Mann, clinical director for the Cross Gates Primary Care Network (Image: Tony Johnson)

“I’d tell people who are worried about getting the vaccine that they should be brave and think about their health and go and have it done as soon as possible.

“I feel really fit and well at 103 and want to stay that way.

“Having the vaccine means I don’t have to worry about getting the virus.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Marjorie lives in east Leeds with her eldest daughter, also named Marjorie, who was overjoyed to see her mum receive the vaccine.

Marjorie with GPs and staff at The Grange Medical Centre in Seacroft (Image: Tony Johnson)Marjorie with GPs and staff at The Grange Medical Centre in Seacroft (Image: Tony Johnson)
Marjorie with GPs and staff at The Grange Medical Centre in Seacroft (Image: Tony Johnson)

The 77-year-old said: “All the family is really excited about it, it’s an achievement to get to her age and she was quite happy to have the vaccine.

“My mum thinks she’s never going to die! She’d rather have the vaccine so she’s here longer.

“She just loves life, she loves being out and about.

“It’s been difficult for her because she loves to go for lunch, coffee and shopping, but she’s managed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“She just gets on with it and goes with the flow, nothing phases her at all.”

The vaccination programme began last week at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust with the site being one of the first 50 ‘hospital hubs’ to take part in the roll-out.

GP practices across Leeds have started vaccinating those aged 80 and over this week, who have been identified as the first priority for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

It was a busy day for GPs at The Grange Medical Centre as they gave dozens of patients their first dose.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Clinical director for the Cross Gates Primary Care Network, Andrea Mann, said: “The team effort pulling it all together this weekend has been fantastic.

“We’ve got 57 staff working together across the weekend.

“The patients have been so excited when we ring them to invite them down for the vaccine, they’re absolutely over the moon.”

“We’ve done two days now and have had no problems with any of our patients. We do keep an eye on them for 15 minutes afterwards and they’ve all been absolutely fine.

“We’re contacting eligible patients to come down and I’d urge people to pick up the phone and ring your GP when you get the letter or reminder for your vaccination.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It’s going to be a long journey and quite a few months of clinics before we get anywhere near completing the priority groups, but it’s a start and we’ll get through it.”

Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United, With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.