Holocaust survivor Eve Kugler among first to get Covid vaccine

A woman believed to be the first Holocaust survivor to receive the Covid-19 vaccine has implored people to follow suit, saying: “It’s giving us life.”

German-born Eve Kugler who turns 90 next moth got the Pfizer/BioNTech jab at the Royal Free on Friday morning, after being offered it by the hospital.

Eve said: “I am so very excited and happy to be getting this vaccine.

“I’ve even told my friends and my children in America about it.

“I think it is the right thing to do and I urge everyone to take it up.

“It is giving us life.”

From the town of Halle, she escaped Nazi-occupied Europe to the United States in 1941, and worked as a journalist before moving to London in 1990.

She was awarded a BEM in 2019 for services to Holocaust education and speaks to thousands a year through the Holocaust Educational Trust.

With no vaccine approved in the United States or Israel, and Canada agreeing one only this week, she is likely one of the first survivors in the world to get it.

Karen Pollock, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust said:  “Our beloved and brave Holocaust survivors have been shielding, and in many cases they have been alone, but typically of our survivors, they’ve managed through the toughest of circumstances and inspired us all.

“It is wonderful that Eve has received the vaccine and hopefully many more survivors will follow.”

Coronavirus has killed more than 60,000 people in the UK and 1.5 million worldwide, with the most vulnerable being the elderly, those with underlying health conditions and frontline healthcare workers.

Earlier in the week, staff members at Jewish Care were among those to receive the jab in the first week of it being rolled out nationally.