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The Coventry nurse formally known as May Parsons is known for her services at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Trust specialising in Respiratory services as well as; her deliverance of the very first Covid vaccine has expressed, how she is “honoured” to have played a role in the Queen’s funeral.

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May Parsons met Her Majesty in July as the monarch was awarded George Cross one of the remaining ceremonial medal presentations the Queen participated in. Ms Parsons as well as numerous other frontline workers from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were represented on behalf of NHS England’s chief executive Amanda Pritchard as she accepted the award with pride at a small ceremony at Windsor Castle.

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The Coventry nurse expressed that Her Majesty was “humorous and full of life” as well as “lovely and so funny.” Ms Parsons made these comments shortly after she had met the Queen who sadly passed just two months later.

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Ms Parsons added that "She asked me what I was doing, and I told her I was managing the Covid wards in my trust and I was delivering Covid vaccinations. Then Amanda Pritchard said, “She doesn’t just deliver jabs, she gave the world’s first-ever jab.”

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“Then she quipped with “Are you still alive?” – “obviously imagining how run ragged we were during the pandemic. She was so full of life and humorous - her sense of humour was top notch.”

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“It was such a special time.” Ms Parsons added: “To have those moments with her made her pass more painful.”

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The Coventry nurse expressed gratitude adding that “There are more than a million people in the NHS to represent so it’s an honour and a privilege to represent the wonderful people of the NHS at the funeral.”

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Since the first Covid Vaccine that took place on the 8th of December 2020, the NHS has administered over 127 million doses throughout the whole of England. In the campaign promoting the autumn booster jab, the service delivered an estimated three–quarters of a million jabs. More than 44.5 million people throughout England have had at least one dose, 94% of those being adults.

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