MANILA, Philippines — Queen Elizabeth II awarded last Tuesday the United Kingdom's highest honor, the George Cross, to the National Health Service (NHS), including Filipina May Parsons, the first nurse who delivered the first shot of the world’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
In the Royal Family’s official Facebook page, Queen Elizabeth said it’s her pleasure to award the highest non-military award for gallantry bestowed by the British government to the medical workers.
“It is with great pleasure on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom,” the queen said.
For her part, May said it’s an honor and privilege to be receiving the award from the queen herself.
“An honor and a privilege to be receiving the George Cross from Her Majesty the Queen on behalf of the NHS and Social Care people today. An emotional and wonderful recognition of our staff's bravery, passion and compassion in caring for our people and our communities during the pandemic and the last 74 wondeful NHS years,” May wrote on Facebook.
During the ceremony, May told the queen: "We're terribly, terribly proud of the vaccination roll-out."
"Yes, it was amazing," the queen replied.
Britain was the first country in the world to deploy an approved Covid-19 vaccine.
Queen Elizabeth II was joined by her son and heir Prince Charles at the ceremony in Windsor Castle, the queen's residence west of London. — Reports from Agence France-Presse
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