William urges public to follow Queen's example and get jab

LONDON:Prince William is encouraging everyone in Britain to follow the example of Queen Elizabeth II, his grandmother, in being inoculated against COVID-19 as authorities battle unsubstantiated fears about vaccine safety.

The second in line to the throne spoke about the queen and her spouse, Prince Philip, during a video call with National Health Service staff and volunteers that was released late Saturday. The medics told William some members of the public are reluctant to get any of the coronavirus vaccines authorized by regulators.

“My grandparents have had the vaccine and I am very proud of them for doing that,’’ William said. “It is really important that everyone gets the vaccine when they are told to.”

The queen, 94, last week disclosed that she and Philip, 99, had received the first dose of vaccine. The disclosure was meant to end speculation about the matter and to boost confidence in the shots as the NHS seeks to give the first dose of vaccine to everyone over 70 by the middle of February.

British authorities have made vaccinating older people their first priority because they are most at risk of dying from COVID-19.