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UK's Prince William says social media full of rumours against coronavirus vaccine

WION Web Team
London, United KingdomUpdated: Feb 28, 2021, 10:23 AM IST
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Prince William urges people to get vaccinated against coronavirus Photograph:(AFP)

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His video message has come a few days after the Queen of England urged everyone to get vaccinated

Concerned about the increasing disagreement with the coronavirus vaccine, Prince William of the UK's royal family has warned Britishers to stay cautious about the growing anti-vaccine messages on social media platforms.

"Social media is awash sometimes with lots of rumours and misinformation," the Prince said in a video message, released by the Kensington Palace on Saturday evening.

The Duke of Cambridge was seen with his wife and the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine. The royal couple shared the screen with two women who are eligible for their first jab of the vaccine as they fall in the category of vulnerable people.

A woman who is suffering from type 2 diabetes looked to the royal couple as she said she is "a bit nervous" about getting the jab after reading several social media posts regarding the harmful effects of the coronavirus vaccine.

"We have to be a little bit careful who we believe and where we get our information from, especially for those who are clinically vulnerable as well, it's so important that these vaccinations are done," Prince William said while assuring Shivali.

Urging everyone to get vaccinated, in their own turn, the Duke of Cambridge said, "Catherine and I are not medical experts by any means but if it's any consolation we can wholeheartedly support having vaccinations, it's really, really important."

Appreciating the efforts of the government and frontline workers, he said the vaccine uptake has, so far, been "amazing", but the important task now is to ensure that even the younger generation — the more active social media users — also "feel that it's really important for them to have it."

His video message has come a few days after the Queen of England urged everyone to get vaccinated as everyone "ought to think about other people rather than themselves", assuring the vaccine does nor "hurt at all". 

The 94-yea-old Queen got vaccinated, along with Prince Philip in January.

Video messages have started pouring in from the Royal Family after the health officials have raised concern about decreasing vaccine uptake among the ethnic minority communities.