Prince William calls on public to follow the queen and get Covid vaccine

He says he is proud of his grandparents for being inoculated against the disease

Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, speak to frontline workers. AP

Prince William encouraged everyone in Britain to follow the example of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and ensure they become inoculated against Covid-19 as authorities battle fears about vaccine safety.

Prince William spoke about Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, with National Health Service staff and volunteers during a video call released on Saturday.

The medics told Prince William that some members of the public are reluctant to receive any of the coronavirus vaccines authorised by regulators.

“My grandparents have had the vaccine and I am very proud of them for doing that,’’ he said.

“It is really important that everyone gets the vaccine when they are told to.”

Queen Elizabeth II, 94, last week said that she and Prince Philip, 99, received the first dose of vaccine.

That was meant to end speculation about the matter and boost confidence in the shots as the NHS seeks to give the first dose of vaccine to everyone over the age of 70 by the middle of February.

British authorities made vaccinating older people their first priority because they are the most at risk from Covid-19.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that the UK would close "all travel corridors" from 4am (GMT) on Monday.

People wishing to fly to the country after that time must provide proof of a negative Covid test before taking off.

Travellers will also need to quarantine for 10 days according to current government guidance, unless they test negative after five days.

The UK registered 55,761 positive cases on Friday, as well as 1,280 deaths, marking five successive days of the daily toll exceeding the 1,000 mark.