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The medical chiefs leading the UK’s battle against coronavirus have been recognised with top awards in the New Year Honours list.
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and his deputy Professor Jonathan Van-Tam have been given knighthoods, along with the chief medical officers for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, and Scotland, Dr Gregor Smith.
There are also damehoods for Dr Jenny Harries, who leads the UK Health Security Agency, and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), after a year in which more than 130 million vaccination doses were administered in the UK.
Nearly one in five (19%) of the honours in the New Year list are for COVID-related service, the Cabinet Office revealed – while famous faces to receive awards include Tony Blair (knighted), Coronation Street star William Roache (OBE), Spice Girl Mel B (MBE), tennis ace Emma Raducanu (MBE) and a host of Olympians.
Dr Jenny Harries has been made a dame
Prof Whitty has become a household name during the pandemic after regularly appearing alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street news conferences. Prof Van-Tam has also been a regular feature at the briefings, with many praising his colourful analogies to explain scientific concepts in layman’s terms.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the honours list “rightly recognises those whose efforts have helped us deliver world-leading testing and vaccination programmes” and added he was “deeply grateful for their hard work”.
The government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, who was originally knighted in the 2019 New Year Honours list, is elevated to a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
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Source : skynews
