Ian McKellen received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and the British actor says he feels "very lucky." The 81-year-old "Lord of the Rings" star received the injection in London on Thursday and took to Twitter to share his experience.
"I feel very lucky to have had the vaccine. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone," he tweeted.
McKellen said he felt "euphoric" after the shot and would recommend others have the vaccine.
"I really hope that, as more people get vaccinated, we will move further along the path back to a more normal way of life, particularly for the arts which have suffered so much this year," he told the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS). "We all have a part to play in the fight against coronavirus and doing our bit and getting vaccinated will save lives."
McKellen forms part of the first "eligible groups" to receive the vaccine, which is being distributed to the elderly as well as health care workers and people living in homecare, according to NHS. The vaccine is administered as an injection into the upper arm and is given as two doses, at least 21 days apart.
Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS England Medical Director for Primary Care, said since the U.K. became the first Western country to authorize the vaccine earlier this month, dozens of hospitals and hundreds of local vaccination services are now providing it to those who need it most.
"This is a huge step forward in the fight against coronavirus, but everyone should continue to follow all guidance to control the spread of the virus," said Kanani.
McKellen joins several other celebrities, including Prue Leith and Michael Whitehall, to receive the injection. Oliver Stone has also received a vaccine, but from Russia, where he is currently stationed while working on a climate change documentary.
"I got a vaccine shot,” the director told country’s Channel One state broadcaster, per Mediaite. "I don’t know if it’s going to work. I got it a few days ago. But I’ve heard good things about the Russian vaccine."
Stone added that he was "hopeful" that the Sputnik V vaccine would work.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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