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25th May 2021

First man to get Pfizer jab William Shakespeare dies aged 81

Charlie Herbert

He was only the second person in the world to get the jab.

William Shakespeare, the first man to get the Pfizer-BioNTech, has sadly passed away at the age of 81, of an illness unrelated to the vaccine

Coventry councillor Jayne Innes, a friend of Mr Shakespeare, said he had died on Thursday and added the “best tribute to Bill is to have the jab”.

Shakespeare had worked at Rolls Royce and was a parish councillor.

Ms Innes wrote in a post on Facebook: “Bill will be remembered for many things, including a taste for mischief.”

West Midlands Labour group said on Twitter: “Bill made global headlines as [the first] man to have Covid vaccine.

“His decades of service to the party were recently recognised by Keir Starmer.

“Our thoughts are with Joy and Bill’s family and friends.”

Councillor Angela Hopkins said Mr Shakespeare had helped her when she had campaigned for the Bablake ward.

“He was very thoughtful and always, in his work as a parish councillor, very much putting forward the concerns and views of the local residents in his area,” she said.