The elderly and NHS workers expressed their joy today when they became the first people in Oldham to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
About 250 people received their jab at Greenbank Medical Practice on Tuesday as the first of 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are being delivered across the country.
"The administration takes longer than the vaccine," joked Bernard McLaughlin, 82, after a nurse had asked a number of preliminary questions: has he had another vaccine in the last seven days?; has he been part of any previous vaccine trial?; has he ever had a serious allergic reaction which required adrenaline?
He answers 'no' to each question and a moment later it's all done.
The grandfather admits later: "Everybody worries about (coronavirus) but I wasn't so much worried about me as I was about my kids worrying about me."
Next up is mental health nurse Toni Richards, 33, who works at Treelands care home in Fitton Hill, Oldham.
"Right at the start (of lockdown) we had a big rush and then it went a bit quiet. We had 90 days when we were free of the virus. At the moment we are quite settled with no cases," she said.
"Right at the start we were all very nervous because it was all new but after that we just got on with it. Either you are going to get it and be unwell or you are not going to, and that would be great. If I get it, I get it. Whatever will be, will be.
"Hopefully this is going to be a revelation and keep people safe from infection. Let's hope people want it."
Her family has been lucky so far - only her mother has tested positive but she had no symptoms. Toni has been tested regularly as part of her work at the care home and each one has proved negative."
Moments after Christine Rayner, a retired office administrator aged 80, received her jab, she says: "I'm just thankful to have it done and in such quick time."
The mother-of-two has a heart condition which makes her more vulnerable to the virus. Apart from three weeks in July, she has spent virtually all her time at home since the first lockdown in March.
She is thankful she has a garden where she spent a lot of time.
She adds: "We all need to be moving on with our lives. This is the start. We do need to get back to normal. It's still going to take a bit of time. It feels like there's a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel now."
Next up are cricket-loving Raymond Kemp, 81, and his wife Patricia, 82.
"We can start living again now can't we?" asks Raymond, who is planning to finally use a present he got for his 80th birthday: a ticket for the roses match between Lancashire and Yorkshire at Old Trafford next summer.
Once the vaccine has knocked coronavirus for six, that is.
"I will be 82 when I actually use it," he laughs. "We should be alright, just in time for the cricket season."
"We are missing out sport," said Patricia.
Raymond, like the others who received their jabs today, will return on or shortly after January to receive their second dose.
