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.”
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was brought to veterans living at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, on Wednesday.
The vaccinations were carried out by Pippa Nightingale, chief nurse at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who called it a “real honour”.
D-Day veteran Bob Sullivan said he was pleased to be “one of the lucky ones” to get the jab and that he was looking forward to being able to mix with family in the future.
The 98-year-old was applauded by staff after he received the vaccine.
He told the PA news agency: “I was pleased that I was… as are all the pensioners, one of the lucky ones to be vaccinated.
BBC News
Published
image captionBob Sullivan was given the vaccination by Pippa Nightingale
London s Chelsea Pensioners have said being given the coronavirus vaccine was the best early Christmas gift we could hope for .
Some 300 veterans living at the Royal Hospital Chelsea were offered the Pfizer jab earlier.
Bob Sullivan, a 98-year-old D-Day veteran, said being vaccinated had put a real spring in our step as we head into our locked down Christmas .
The nurse who carried out the injections called it an honour .
image copyrightPA Media
image captionMr Sullivan said getting the vaccine was the best early Christmas present
The vaccinations were carried out by Pippa Nightingale, chief nurse at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
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Video report by ITV News Correspondent Lucy Watson
Around 300 Chelsea Pensioners are among the first elderly care home residents in England to be given the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.
Hailed as the best early Christmas present we could hope for, veterans living at the Royal Hospital Chelsea were offered the jab on Wednesday.
One of the recipients was 98-year-old D-Day veteran Bob Sullivan. This year has changed life as we know it, causing uncertainty and worry, he said.
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Created with Sketch. Getting vaccinated against coronavirus 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.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was brought to veterans living at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, on Wednesday.
The vaccinations were carried out by Pippa Nightingale, chief nurse at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who called it a “real honour”.
D-Day veteran Bob Sullivan said he was pleased to be “one of the lucky ones” to get the jab and that he was looking forward to being able to mix with family in the future.
The 98-year-old was applauded by staff after he received the vaccine.
He told the PA news agency: “I was pleased that I was… as are all the pensioners, one of the lucky ones to be vaccinated.