First Leeds person to get Covid vaccine, aged 80, ‘overwhelmed’ at having made history

Sylvia Harris first joined Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust at aged 26, and now, aged 80, has become the first person in the city to receive the much-awaited Covid vaccine.

She has worked for the Trust for 54 years with only a small hiatus to work as a supervisor at Debenhams in between.

Just one day before the vaccine rollout began, Sylvia received a call from St James’ Hospital on Monday asking if she would be the first person in the city to receive it.

The grandmother-of-nine said: “I was first because I’m the oldest person employed by the NHS in Leeds.

“I’ve been shielding since the middle of March as I’ve got asthma and both my doctor and my grandson who is a doctor told me I mustn’t work.

“It’s been a worry the whole time, I couldn’t go out or go to the shops or the hairdressers and I’ve only been out for medical appointments.

“Now, I’ve got to stay shielding until a week after my second jab on January 5 and then I can go back to work.”

Sylvia said that the attention she has received since having her vaccine has been “overwhelming”, with many people not actually believing that she is 80-years-old because of her younger looks.

The Morley resident added: “All the girls at work always tell me I look younger and I always think they’re just saying it but now everyone is saying it and it’s just because I’ve looked after myself, I’ve looked after my skin and kept active my whole life by carrying on working.

“I don’t actually feel so special at the moment but you should have seen my phone once I’d had it done.

“I am lucky, I know, and I’m just overwhelmed by the fact it’s made history.

“I’m so thankful to the government, the NHS and all the scientists for all they have done to combat this virus.”

Sylvia said she has felt absolutely fine and the same as she normally does since having the vaccine.

The mother-of-four added: “To be one of the first people in Leeds who will be able to get on with normal life, I feel great, wouldn’t you?”

Sylvia has been in a support bubble with 62-year-old daughter Julie O’Brien, and so has been able to see her throughout the pandemic, and Julie is equally as proud of her mum for having had the vaccine first in Leeds.

Julie said: “We have always known our mum was amazing and we just want to protect her and look after her and allow her to get back to work.

“I feel very proud of her and when she told me they’d offered her the jab I told her she must take it.

"It's very special that she had it first in Leeds.

“She’s a bit overwhelmed today and been a bit shaky and upset but bless her she really has had so much attention.”

Sylvia's role for Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust is a mixture between housekeeping and domestic work at Leeds General Infirmary.