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Queen gives top award to UK’s health service; Pinay nurse a recipient

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/07/12/20220712-may-parsons-queen.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/07/12/20220712-may-parsons.jpg"/></div></div><div class="slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Queen Elizabeth II presents the George Cross to NHS England CEO Amanda Pritchard and May Parsons, Modern Matron at University Hospital Coventry and Warkwickshire, representatives of Britain&#x27;s National Health Service (NHS), during an Audience at Windsor Castle, on July 12, 2022. <cite>Aaron Chown pool, AFP</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Margaret Keenan, 90, walks with nurse May Parsons after becoming the first patient in the United Kingdom to receive the Pfizer/BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine administered by nurse May Parsons, at the start of the largest ever immunization program in the UK&#x27;s history, at University Hospital, Coventry, Britain, December 8, 2020. <cite>Jacob King, Press Association/EPA-EFE/file</cite></p></div></div></div><p><br/>Britain&#x27;s Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday awarded the George Cross to the state-run National Health Service (NHS) for its work over the past 74 years and praised its COVID-19 vaccine rollout.</p><p>The George Cross is the highest non-military award for gallantry bestowed by the British government.</p><p>The queen presented the medal to health leaders from across the UK. They were joined at the ceremony by frontline workers, who nursed the country through the pandemic. </p><p>The latter included May Parsons, the nurse who delivered the first shot of the world&#x27;s COVID-19 vaccine rollout.</p><p>The nurse told the queen: &quot;We&#x27;re terribly, terribly proud of the vaccination roll-out.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Yes, it was amazing,&quot; she replied.</p><p>Britain was the first country in the world to deploy an approved COVID-19 vaccine.</p><p>The 96-year-old head of state was joined by her son and heir Prince Charles at the ceremony in Windsor Castle, the queen&#x27;s residence west of London. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/08/20/fantastic-moment-filipino-nurse-injects-historic-covid-19-vaccine-to-british-grandma">‘Fantastic moment’: Filipino nurse injects historic COVID-19 vaccine to British grandma</a></li></ul><p>She has stepped back from public duties since a bout of ill health last year left her with mobility issues but she appeared well on Tuesday, albeit in need of a walking stick.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/14/21/how-pinay-who-administered-first-covid-vaccine-found-her-calling">How Pinay who administered first COVID vaccine found her calling</a></li></ul><p>Michael Vernon, the royal official responsible for organizing ceremonial events, praised the NHS for the work it has done since it was founded in 1948.</p><p>&quot;Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported the people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service.&quot;</p><p>&quot;You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation,&quot; he told the ceremony.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1668355" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

May Parsons, the Filipina nurse who delivered the first shot of the world’s COVID vaccine, told the queen she was ‘proud of the vaccination roll-out.’