Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom is not a fan of people who are against vaccines.
Johnson, a member of the Conservative Party, is overseeing the rollout of a sweeping influenza vaccine push meant to prevent a wave of flu patients this season as the country also tries to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. Johnson dismissed those who are against vaccinations while touring a medical center in east London.
“There’s all these anti-vaxxers now. They are nuts. They are nuts,” the prime minister said.
This year’s flu vaccine will be free of charge for the elderly, young children, and those with underlying medical conditions, according to Agence France-Presse. The country’s department of health is hoping to inoculate more than 30 million people.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the new initiative as “the biggest flu vaccination program in history, and will help protect our NHS as we head into winter.”
The United Kingdom has had the most confirmed coronavirus cases in Europe, with close to 300,000 infections and more than 45,000 deaths.
Johnson himself became the first major head of state to contract the respiratory illness in late March. The 55-year-old prime minister was released from a hospital in London on Easter Sunday after recovering from COVID-19 complications. At one point, he was put in the intensive care unit, given the severity of his condition.
