Pensioners welcomed in the New Year at a care home by getting one of the first Covid vaccines in east London.

Elizabeth Whittaker, 84, was one of those at the Hawthorn Green residential home in Stepney Green to be vaccinated.

“I wasn’t looking forward to having the jab,” Elizabeth admits. “But it will help us start getting our lives back to normal. I'm looking forward to hugging my son again.”

East London Advertiser: Elizabeth Whittaker in 2015 taking part in a 'story time' project at the care home when she was 79.Elizabeth Whittaker in 2015 taking part in a 'story time' project at the care home when she was 79. (Image: Hawthorn Green care home)

The retired French-born air stewardess, who has lived at Hawthorn Green for seven years, will have her follow-up jab later this month.

The national roll-out programme has so far carried out 1,300,000 inoculations across the UK, the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Care home manager Natasha Shillingford said: “We're grateful the local authorities worked to get this vaccine to the most vulnerable.”

Her staff joined in the vaccination programme and have also received Covid jabs.