How it happened: Coronavirus: 37, 475 patients in UK hospitals

A veteran of the RAF was among hundreds of people over 80 who received the Covid-19 vaccine at Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire today.

Former flight sergeant Louis Godwin described receiving the Pfizer / BioNTech jab as “absolutely wonderful”.

The historic cathedral is hosting a vaccination center for five GP surgeries in the area, with the aim of vaccinating more than 1,000 residents and elderly staff.

Godwin recalls being hit in Egypt after the war “that brought me down for a week”.

“This one, the doctor said ‘very well’ – and I thought it hadn’t started!”

The veteran pilot, who has 12 great-grandchildren, said the pandemic cannot be compared to war.

“It was totally different because it divided people.

“The vaccine is nothing, you don’t feel anything … so whoever needs it and can take it, I would say go ahead and do it fast.

“It is the only way to beat the virus.”

Patients lined up briefly around the cloister on Saturday before heading to the cathedral, where they were treated to a music program on Father Willis’ famous organ.

“It’s a bonus to be in such an iconic and wonderful place,” said Dr. Dan Henderson, clinical co-director at Sarum South Primary Care Network.

“It’s great to be putting the vaccine out there and putting them in people’s arms, knowing that this is the beginning of some kind of normalcy again.”