Woman receives Covid vaccination on 108th birthday

A 108-year-old Renfrewshire woman has become the third oldest person in Scotland to receive the Covid-19 vaccination.

Marion Dawson, who is now the most senior person in Greater Glasgow and Clyde to be inoculated against coronavirus, celebrated her birthday by getting the vaccine at her home in Houston.

Born in January 1913, Ms Dawson has lived through two World Wars and the Spanish flu pandemic.

She was vaccinated by Dr Diane Fisher at Houston & Killellan Kirk, which is being used by her local GP surgery, to deliver COVID vaccinations to the local community.

After receiving her vaccination, she said; “I’m glad it’s passed. I never felt a thing!”

Dr Fisher, a partner at Strathgryffe Medical Practice, who administered the vaccine said: “We are so excited to be starting our vaccinations of our over 80s population here in the church within the heart of Houston and that our first patient to be vaccinated, is doing so on her birthday, so it’s a really great start to our campaign.”

Dr Mark Storey, practice partner and one of the vaccination team said: “It’s been a very difficult year in General Practice and society as a whole. In our practice we have a family of 10,000 patients, so we are delighted to start vaccinating, especially with Mrs Dawson. Happy Birthday, Mrs Dawson!”

Rev Gary Noonan, minister for Houston and Killellan Kirk, said: “Mrs Dawson is a local treasure in Houston, having lived through two world wars and until the lockdown she never missed a week at church. It’s fitting she can get her vaccine in the Kirk, a place she loves.”