ONE of Barnsley Council’s longest-standing councillors received his first coronavirus vaccine last week after self-isolating at home since April.
Coun Joe Hayward, who represents the Cudworth ward, went for the jab at Priory Campus in Lundwood.
The 83-year-old, who has been a member of the council since 1999, said he was excited to receive the vaccine so that he could see his family again.
“Throughout the pandemic I’ve been extremely careful,” he said. “I rarely go out and my daughter does my shopping for me.
“It’s been difficult not seeing my family and being out in the community as I usually would but I think the vaccine is a step in the right direction to getting things back to normal again.
“The NHS staff were amazing and looked after me. The longest bit of the process was waiting for 15 minutes after the vaccine before I was allowed home.”
Joe has urged others to have the vaccine, which he hopes will reduce Covid cases in Barnsley.
“It wasn’t scary and I haven’t had any side-effects,” he added. “I was very interested when the vaccine became available because it can slow Covid down and help things to return to normal.
“I want to urge people to have the vaccine because the sooner we are all vaccinated against it, the sooner we can get everything back up and running again.”
