Anger after UK minister tells people not to ‘cower from’ Covid-19

This article is more than 12 months old

Jul 26, 2021 06:00 am

LONDON: British Health Minister Sajid Javid apologised for and deleted a tweet urging people to take a Covid-19 vaccine and not to "cower" from the virus, saying yesterday he had made "a poor choice of word".

Mr Javid, who replaced Mr Matt Hancock as health minister, had tweeted on Saturday: "Please - if you haven't yet - get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus."

He was criticised for using the word "cower" when tens of thousands in Britain have died from the virus and many are trying to keep safe.

Mr Javid tweeted yesterday: "I was expressing gratitude that the vaccines help us fight back as a society, but it was a poor choice of word and I sincerely apologise. Like many, I have lost loved ones to this awful virus and would never minimise its impact."

Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner was among the opposition lawmakers and people who had lost family members to criticise Mr Javid .

"127,000 people have died from this virus, tens of thousands of whom would still be here if it wasn't for the catastrophic failures of your government," she said on Twitter. "So how dare you denigrate people for trying to keep themselves and their families safe." - REUTERS