Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has urged people to get a Covid-19 vaccine when offered one and that we should all take into account the health of others. She also said that the community spirit that comes about during the pandemic had reminded her greatly of her experiences during the Second World War.
The monarch and her husband, Prince Phillip, both received their first vaccinations in January of this year, to which the Queen said:
"It didn't hurt at all."
The statements were made as the Queen discussed the vaccination program with health workers from across the UK. In the conversation, the 94-year-old said:
"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."
She also urged people to:
"Think about other people rather than themselves".
The UK's vaccine program has been one of the fastest in the world with as many as 1 in 3 UK adults being vaccinated. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own health administrations and vaccine programs that are run by their own governments.
The statement is one of many made by senior government figures and famous faces, urging people to take the vaccine when offered. There has been fears that some people may be 'vaccine hesitant' and not get the vaccine due to fears that it is unsafe, or because they believe they don't need it.
To a large extent, the worry that people would reject the vaccine has been unrealised, at least in the UK, and the vast majority of people offered vaccines have taken up the opportunity. At present, the UK has one of the highest death-tolls in the world from Covid-19, with over 120,000 dead. Per head of population, it outstrips even the United States in terms of death toll.
Dr. Emily Lawson, who leads the vaccine program in England, said the Queen's intervention was:
"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. 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's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who is aged 99, is currently hospitalised after falling ill. He is expected to remain in the hospital for at least a number of weeks.
[h/t: BBC]
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