Croydon’s oldest resident, 108, receives her first vaccine

Croydon’s, and perhaps even London’s, oldest resident has finally received her first vaccine.

Meria Smith, aged 108, received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Healthy Living Centre in Croydon.

Now almost completely deaf, Meria was vaccinated by Dr Kwong at around 3.40pm on January 19.

Despite her age Meria has remained remarkably active – she was still kick-boxing when she turned 103.

The Croydon great-great-granny says the doctors put an end to her major hobbies, kick-boxing and dancing, when her knees started to cause her trouble.

But before the pandemic she was still shopping and using the sauna at her gym.

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However, throughout the pandemic she has been forced to isolate.

Friend Trina Harris, who normally takes Meria to Thornton Heath Church each Sunday, said: “My husband and I visited her last…