The event is one of a series that the royals are attending to commemorate the nation s war dead, ahead of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
They include Bob Sullivan, 98 year-old D-Day veteran, who fought in World War II.
“This year has changed life as we know it causing uncertainty and worry,” he said.
“Getting vaccinated against coronavirus today is the best early Christmas gift we could hope for and thanks to our nursing team here and NHS staff like Pippa we will have a real spring in our step as we head into our locked down Christmas.”
Chelsea Pensioner Pam Richards, 88 who served with the Women’s Royal Army Corp said: “I think the vaccine is really important. You’re not just protecting yourself, you’re also protecting everyone else.”
The coronavirus vaccine programme must be speeded up, politicians and business leaders said on Wednesday night.
Jeremy Hunt led calls to accelerate the roll-out as the pandemic tightened its grip with a fast-spreading new variant.
‘Time is against us with this new strain so we now need a great national effort to turbocharge the vaccination programme,’ the Tory former health secretary said.
‘The logistics will be complex but I have no doubt our incredible NHS can rise to the challenge: just look at the lightning-speed Nightingale hospital building programme.’
Jeremy Hunt led calls to accelerate the roll-out as the pandemic tightened its grip with a fast-spreading new variant
23 December 2020
Chelsea Pensioners today thanked the NHS for an “early Christmas gift” as the hero veterans received the life-saving coronavirus vaccine.
Around 300 residents of the world-famous Royal Hospital Chelsea, who have served in Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and World War II, and all will be offered the jab.
They include Bob Sullivan, 98 year-old D-Day veteran, who fought in World War II.
“This year has changed life as we know it causing uncertainty and worry,” he said.
“Getting vaccinated against coronavirus today is the best early Christmas gift we could hope for and thanks to our nursing team here and NHS staff like Pippa we will have a real spring in our step as we head into our locked down Christmas.”