LONDON (AP) — The U.K. has became the first country in the world to start using the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca.
It is ramping up a nationwide vaccination program as rising infection rates are putting an unprecedented strain on British hospitals.
Brian Pinker, an 82-year-old dialysis patient, received the first shot at Oxford University Hospital.
The U.K. is in the midst of an acute outbreak, recording more than 50,000 new coronavirus infections a day over the past six days.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says tougher restrictions will be announced soon as Britain struggles to control a new, more contagious virus variant.
