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LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could be persuaded to get COVID-19 vaccinated on television to show that it is safe, but that he would not do so to those most in need, his press secretary said on Wednesday (December 2 ).
Johnson, 56, who spent time in intensive care earlier this year after contracting COVID-19, hailed the UK’s approval of Pfizer’s vaccine as a global victory and a glimmer of hope amidst a pandemic that has damaged the economy and disrupted normal life.
But, like other leaders, Johnson cannot be seen to be jumping the line on the vaccine, before the most vulnerable people, but he wants to illustrate his safety in trying to persuade others to take it when it is most available.
When asked if the prime minister would take the photo live on television, press secretary Allegra Stratton said she had not asked him directly.
“I don’t think it’s something he rules out,” he said.
“But I think we also know that he wouldn’t like to take a hit that should be for someone who is extremely vulnerable, clinically vulnerable and who should take it before him.”
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The British government has said the health service will prioritize vaccinations, putting older residents in nursing homes and their carers first, then everyone over 80 and front-line health workers.
Johnson spoke openly of his struggle with COVID-19 in April, saying he fought for his life and that it was 50-50 if doctors were to put him on a ventilator.
He said that his weight was an underlying condition that was making his condition worse and since then he has spoken frequently about his attempts to lose weight. Stratton said he didn’t know if his weight could put him in a more vulnerable group, adding that he has been exercising more.
Johnson’s spokesman also said it was a Buckingham Palace matter if the 94-year-old Queen Elizabeth received a vaccination. A palace spokesman declined to comment on whether the queen would receive an injection, saying royal medical matters were traditionally kept private.
The queen and her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, who would be second priority for a vaccine, have passed national lockdowns this year with a small number of staff at Windsor Castle, west London.
They plan to stay there for Christmas, instead of traveling to Sandringham in eastern England, as they traditionally do.
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