QUEEN ELIZABETH II AND HUSBAND PRINCE PHILIP RECEIVE VACCINATIONS

Sat 09 January 2021:

The Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip have been vaccinated against Covid, joining more than a million people in the UK who have been given the jab.

In an unusual move, Buckingham Palace – which rarely comments on the private health matters of the couple – announced that the 94-year-old head of state and her consort had been given the injection.

“The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have today received Covid-19 vaccinations,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

The Queen and the Duke will have been in the second priority group, for those aged 80 and older, after care home residents and staff.

Discussions have reportedly been taking place in government about how to deploy public figures to encourage people to receive the vaccine amid scepticism among some.

More than 1.5 million people in Britain have so far received virus jabs, as the biggest immunization program in its history ramps up with priority given to the elderly, their carers and health workers.

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, tweeted: “I’m delighted that Her Majesty the Queen & HRH the Duke of Edinburgh have received their Covid vaccine. We are defeating this virus jab by jab.”

Britain on Friday reported a record 1,325 deaths over a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of deaths to nearly 80,000, while also registering a high of 68,053 new cases.