MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Death of vaccinated William Shakespeare shocks covid-19 UK

Mr Shakespeare, who had lived in Brownshill Green, was an inpatient on the hospital's frailty ward at the time of his first jab, and said it had been “wonderful” (Pic AP)

The 81-year-old William Shakespeare, who made the news back in December 2020 as the first man to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom, has passed away of non-coronavirus-related causes, it was reported Tuesday.

The news was released by Jayne Innes, a councilor for Allesley, England, where Shakespeare had resided for several years.

According to his wife, “Bill,” as he was known among his friends “was proud” to have received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

It was also reported Tuesday that Shakespeare's health complications had nothing to do with the coronavirus, and are not associated with side effects of the immunizer.

According to the BBC, Shakespeare's death occurred last week and was kept secret by his closest family and friends.

“Bill was very grateful to have been offered the opportunity to become one of the first people in the world to receive the vaccine. It was something he was enormously proud of; he loved to see the media coverage and the positive difference he was able to make in the lives of so many people,” his wife Joy told the British media outlet.

Shakespeare had worked at the Roll Royce company and was also the principal of two schools in the town of Allesley.

He passed away at Coventry University Hospital, the same facility where he received both doses of the vaccine.