PRITI Patel’s elderly parents have both had the Covid vaccine as the Home Secretary urged ethnic minorities to get the “life saving jab”.
In an exclusive interview with HOAR, the Home Secretary revealed parents Sushil and Anjana, both in their 70s, were inoculated last week saying it was a “big moment”.
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Speaking at the Neasden Temple, in Brent, North West London, she urged members of ethnic communities to ignore anti-vaccine messaging and take up the offer of a jab.
She told HOAR: “I say to everybody from every ethnic background; when you get the call, when you get the text message, when you get the letter from your GP, come down to your vaccination site and get the jab, it’ll save your life.”
On her own parents, she added: “My mum and dad had the vaccine last week, and it’s a big moment.
“I say this very personally, the amazing work of volunteers on the ground and the people that are rolling this out is huge.
“I feel great pride in the work that everybody in government, the frontline, the army, the NHS has done.
“When your friends and family are getting the vaccination and you know of the work that’s been going on behind the scenes to make that happen there’s a degree of pride in that.”
The Home Secretary also praises HOAR’s effort promoting the vaccine, including the Jabs Army campaign which saw 50,000 Sun readers offer to help volunteer in the rollout.
She said: “I’d like to thank HOAR for everything you’ve been doing to get the message out to take the vaccine.
“This vaccine will save lives – it will save your life, it will save the lives of your friends and family.”
Ms Patel took a veiled swipe as European leaders who have dismissed Britain’s vaccine success and even questioned the effectiveness of the AstraZenaca jab.
When quizzed about their remarks, she said: “Look at the delivery of the vaccine, look at the impact this vaccine is having across the United Kingdom, those actions speak louder than words.”
There was also a hint that the promising vaccine stats and effectiveness will see lockdown measures reduced when the PM reviews then in two weeks.
She said: “We will see the immunity of people that have the vaccine kick in, in the next few weeks as well so that’s really positive.
“That will help in terms of getting the message out as well to take the vaccine.
“But I think more broadly, you’ll see government in the weeks ahead announced measures around lockdown and things of that nature.
“It’s right the Prime Minister does that but right now, our focus has to be on getting more people vaccinated.”
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