Stanley Johnson reveals he is due his second Covid jab today
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Stanley Johnson has claimed he is having his second shot of the coronavirus vaccine today after receiving his first dose three weeks ago – despite his son Boris Johnson telling people to wait 12 weeks between jabs.
The 80-year-old father of the prime minister said he was ‘very much looking forward’ to getting his second and final jab today.
He said: ‘I had my first jab on December 18 and three weeks on is today and I’m very much looking forward to it. I don’t have to go far.’
To accelerate the rollout of the vaccine, the Government recently opted to extend the gap between the first and second jab to 12 weeks to allow it to be administered to a greater number of people.
Ministers have set a target of vaccinating the 14 million people in the top four priority groups – which includes the over-80s – by mid-February.
Care home residents, vulnerable people and frontline health workers are also first in line for jabs of the Pfizer and Oxford vaccines.
Revealing his second jab today on Good Morning Britain, Stanley queried if the vaccine would give him a ‘get out of jail free card’ to resume normal life – but this was quickly kiboshed by presenter Kate Garraway who said it would not.
Stanley said: ‘I’m very reassured by the fact that we have got a grip of the vaccination programme… and as someone said – “give us the tools and we will finish the jab!” I’m confident we’ll get there by Easter.’
Today he blamed his ‘prominent nose’ for a picture showing him without a mask covering his face while waiting for a train
Stanley has often struck an upbeat tone during the pandemic, in contrast to Boris Johnson’s somber messaging
He also defended his lockdown-busting behaviour by insisting that ‘sometimes the mask slips’ as he prepared to receive his second vaccine shot today.
During the pandemic he has often undermined his son, the Prime Minister, by not wearing a mask, travelling to his Greek holiday home and going against initial advice by declaring he would still visit the pub.
Today he blamed his ‘prominent nose’ for a picture showing him without a mask covering his face while waiting for a train.
Grilled about his antics on Good Morning Britain, he said: ‘Sometimes the mask slips, by accident, I have a very prominent nose and sometimes it’s not very easy to keep it all covered.’
Garraway, whose husband Derek Draper remains struck down with coronavirus, branded him ‘naughty’ and put it to Stanley that his bullish tone has at times been at odds with the Boris Johnson’s more somber messaging.
Stanley insisted he will now behave ‘perfectly properly’ as the 80-year-old revealed he was due to have his second vaccine administered today.
Presenter Kate Garraway, whose husband Derek Draper remains struck down with coronavirus, branded him ‘naughty’ and put it to Stanley that his bullish tone has at times been at odds with the Boris Johnson’s more somber messaging.
He came under fire in July after going against Government guidance not to travel overseas unless essential by visiting his holiday villa in Greece.
At the time he said he did not post photos of himself abroad ‘in a spirit of defiance’ and insisted he was there to Covid-proof the property, which he lets.
But it was nevertheless a thorn in the side of the PM, who came under questioning as to why his father had ignored his son’s advice.
Mr Johnson and Stanley have also been at odds over Brexit – a division which flared recently when Stanley revealed he had applied for French citizenship following the UK’s divorce this month.
He came under fire in July after going against Government guidance not to travel overseas unless essential by visiting his holiday villa in Greece
Today he said it was a ‘sentimental and symbolic’ gesture to his mother and that the PM should be ‘jolly pleased’ with the decision.
He said: ‘I’m rather pleased with the notion, I like the idea. My thought is that at this moment we certainly don’t need to be anti-European.
‘This is a little, tiny gesture by me to build the bridge, faire le pont, I think you might say.
‘I think (Boris Johnson) should be jolly pleased. His middle name… is after my French grandmother. As a matter of fact I think he’s lived most of his life as an American. He’s perfectly aware of this… it’s a nice idea.’
Asked about how he thought his son was governing, he compared his achievements to those of Winston Churchill during the war.
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