A Fermanagh woman who has been shielding for almost a year is delighted to have received her first Covid-19 vaccine, saying that it is one step closer to getting her life back.

Karen Piergrosse (née Lyons) from Ballinamallard underwent a successful double lung transplant in January 2018 which has given her a new shot at life. To ensure that her body does not reject the transplant, she takes immunosuppressant drugs, which leave her vulnerable to infection. Due to her vulnerable status, when the coronavirus pandemic struck Northern Ireland, the 34 year old had to shield immediately, putting her life on hold once again.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter about receiving her first Covid-19 jab this week, Karen said: “It was such a relief getting the phonecall last Friday telling me to come in on Monday morning. I was literally jumping at the door with the receptionist. She was so happy for me, they all were [healthcare staff] because they know how vulnerable I am and how much I wanted it.

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“I’ve basically put my life on hold for another year and it’s been so frustrating because I’ve got these new lungs and I want to live my life and to be told again that you have to stay inside again, it’s been so so tough.

“But seeing all these vaccines being developed on the media and seeing all this information coming out, I was just waiting every day, it was a countdown until I could get it,” said Karen, adding: “Getting it felt like such a relief. It’s one step closer to getting my life back which has been so lovely.”

Now having received her first vaccine, Karen is feeling more hopeful for the future and looks forward to being able to see her family and friends. However, she still thinks it could be another year before we get back to ‘normal’ by the time they roll-out the vaccine programme to everybody.

She added: “There are still so many people not doing what they are supposed to do and think that it’s not real and are just being quite careless. It’s been so frustrating to watch and knowing that they are not doing their part or won’t get the vaccine.

“I know that’s going to slow things down too but I’m hopeful that eventually there will be a level that there will be enough people vaccinated that it will be safe to start going out again and go back to normal life,” Karen told this newspaper.