Queen Elizabeth
The Queen of England has urged the public to “think about other people” and get a Covid jab when they are offered one.
The monarch, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, received their first doses of the vaccine in January.
In a video call with health leaders delivering the Covid vaccine across the UK, the Queen was asked about her experience of having the jab.
She smiled as she replied: “Well, as far as I can make out it was quite harmless.
“It was very quick, and I’ve had lots of letters from people who’ve been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine.”
The Queen, who rarely talks about her own health, added: “It didn’t hurt at all.”
The monarch said she understood getting a jab could be a “difficult” experience for some people but urged everyone to “think about other people rather than themselves”
Disparities
It comes after UK vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said figures suggested 11-15% of people were vaccine-hesitant, with data skewed toward some black and ethnic minority communities.
Some studies have also found disparities between poorer and wealthier areas.
Dr Emily Lawson, who is leading the vaccine deployment programme for the NHS in England, said the Queen’s comments about her vaccine experience were an “incredibly important vote of confidence in the programme”.
“We just want to make sure we create the conditions where everybody feels able to take up the offer of a vaccination when they’re called,” she said.
“And Her Majesty offering her view on that is a huge boost to our confidence and I hope to confidence more broadly in the programme.”
The Queen also said the speed of the UK’s vaccination rollout had been “remarkable” so far.
Speaking to the four officials overseeing the programme in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, she added: “Keep up the good work.”
