Britain’s Prince Charles gets Covid-19 jab

(FILES) In this file photo taken on October 28, 2020 Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall gesture during a visit to the Headquarters of the Bank of England in the City of London, to meet with the Governor and highlight the Bank’s role in supporting the national economy through the COVID-19 pandemic. – Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son and heir Prince Charles, who contracted Covid-19 last year, has received a first vaccine dose, his office said on February 10, 2021. The 72-year-old Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, 73, both received the shot as health authorities urged those over the age of 70 to get a jab. (Photo by Eddie MULHOLLAND / POOL / AFP)

 

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son and heir Prince Charles, who contracted Covid-19 last year, has received a first vaccine dose, his office said on Wednesday.

The 72-year-old Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, 73, both received the shot as health authorities urged those over the age of 70 to get a jab.

Britain, which was the first Western nation to roll out Covid jabs in the general population, is banking on its biggest ever vaccination programme as a way out of a contagion that has killed more than 113,000 people.

Some 12.5 million people have so far been inoculated using either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca shots.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government has set a target to vaccinate the most vulnerable and at-risk groups by February 15.

Over-70s are the last cohort in that group of 15 million people to be vaccinated under the plan.

The queen, 94, and her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip received their Covid vaccine last month.

The unusual move to publicise the inoculations — royal officials rarely comment on private health matters concerning the head of state — came as those over 80 were given the vaccine.

The state-run National Health Service meanwhile on Wednesday released an advert starring pop icon Elton John and the Oscar-winning actor Michael Caine urging the public to get vaccinated.

The tongue-in-cheek advert shows Caine, 87, and John, 73, appearing in a mock audition at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

“My name is Michael Caine,” says the actor, rolling up his sleeve. “I’ve just had a vaccine for Covid. It didn’t hurt a bit. Not many people know that.”

 

© Agence France-Presse

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