The Duke made his comments about the UK’s jab rollout in a video call with NHS staff. It is now thought that over 3.5 million people in the country have had at least their first vaccine dose in the fight against the virus.
However, one NHS expert told Prince William there had been some “vaccine hesitancy” in the UK.
Dr Nikki Kanani, medical director of Primary Care for NHS England, stressed the importance of getting the vaccine to “more deprived communities to say ‘this is your vaccine as well, it’s for everyone’”.
Prince William said: “My grandparents have had the vaccine and I am very proud of them for doing that.
“It is really important that everyone gets the vaccine when they are told to.
“I want to say huge congratulations to everyone involved in the vaccination programme because it looks tremendous and I know what a massive difference it is going to make to everyone.”
Sky News’ royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills has said the Queen made a “significant endorsement” of the coronavirus vaccine by publicly revealing she had received it.
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Via their official @KensingtonRoyal Twitter page, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said yesterday: “Thank you to all the staff and volunteers across the country working to ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are protected from coronavirus.”
Just days before, Prince William had another video call with NHS staff, in which he spoke to workers at Homerton University Hospital in London about their experiences in recent weeks.
The Duke said: “Catherine and I and all the children talk about all of you guys every day, so we’re making sure the children the sacrifices that all of you are making.”
Recent pressure on hospitals has seen the re-opening of London’s NHS Nightingale hospital as Covid-19 hospitalisations have risen in recent weeks.
