Covid-19: Couple plan 60th anniversary trip after Pfizer jab

Mr and Mrs Lihou are keen travellers who "try to go somewhere every month".

A couple in their 80s are reviving plans for a 60th anniversary holiday after receiving the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

David and Shirley Lihou were given the jab at the same time at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The 85 year olds cancelled a holiday to Russia for their diamond anniversary and now plan to go on a river cruise from Lyon to Avignon next June.

Mrs Lihou said: "We're getting on a bit now so we need to make the most of it."

University Hospitals Birmingham took delivery of its first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Friday.

David and Shirley Lihou, from Harborne, got their jabs in neighbouring cubicles and he said: "It's a relief because we try to travel."

Mrs Lihou said she was "a bit apprehensive" beforehand, but afterwards she said: "I didn't feel a thing."

Mrs Lihou said the jab was "absolutely wonderful" and told others "don't hesitate".

The couple met 64 years ago at the University of Birmingham and Mr Lihou is a keen sailor, who crossed the Atlantic when he was 75 and he has a catamaran at Plymouth which he has been unable to visit.

He said: "We wanted to be protected so we could go around to various places."

Mrs Lihou said: "We're getting on a bit now so we need to make the most of it."

They are also hoping to visit their daughter Joanne and two grandsons who live in Perth, Australia, next Christmas.

Mr and Mrs Lihou now plan to visit an old school friend at Easter and go to Torquay in May.