The Duke of Sussex slammed ‘mass-scale misinformation that creates vaccine hesitancy’ as he made a surprise appearance on Wednesday evening.
Prince Harry said ‘those who peddle in lies and fear’ are dividing communities while appearing virtually at the GQ Men of the Year awards.
The dad-of-two urged Governments to send more Covid jabs to poorer countries as he presented an award to the team behind the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Warning the star-studded ceremony that the pandemic is far from over, he said 98% of people living in developing countries are yet to be offered a shot.
Piers Morgan listened to his speech in the audience after Ofcom ruled he was entitled to say he didn’t believe the Duchess of Sussex when she revealed she had experienced suicidal thoughts as a senior royal.
It comes after Harry’s biographer claimed he and Meghan Markle had made ‘little progress’ healing their rift with the Royal Family.
Speaking in front of celebrities including Love Island host Laura Whitmore and model Winnie Harlow, Harry said five billion vaccine doses have now been given worldwide – covering more than a third of the population.
He continued: ‘It sounds like a major accomplishment and in many ways it is, but there is a huge disparity between who can and cannot access the vaccine.
‘Less than 2% of people in the developing world have received a single dose at this point. And many of the healthcare workers are still not vaccinated.
‘We cannot move forward together unless we address this imbalance as one. At the same time, families around the world are being overwhelmed by mass-scale misinformation across news media and social media, where those who peddle in lies and fear are creating vaccine hesitancy, which in turn leads to divided communities and eroding trust.
‘This is a system we need to break if we are to overcome Covid-19 and the risk of new variants.’
The duke went on to warn: ‘Until every community can access the vaccine and until every community is connected to trustworthy information about the vaccine, then we are all at risk’.
Naming Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert and Professor Catherine Green ‘our nation’s pride’, he added: ‘We are deeply indebted to their service. For the rest of us, including global governments, pharmaceutical leaders and heads of business, we have to keep doing our part.
‘That must include sharing vaccine science and supporting and empowering developing countries with more flexibility. Where you are born should not affect your ability to survive when the drugs and know-how exist to keep you alive and well.’
Ed Sheeran was named solo artist of the year at the ceremony at the London Tate Modern after topping the charts for nine weeks straight.
Bridgerton star Rege-Jean Page was handed the standout performance of the year prize, while England manager Gareth Southgate was hailed as the inspiration of the year.
Line Of Duty star Adrian Dunbar was named television actor of the year, dedicating the award to his 89-year-old mother Pauline, who beat Covid last week.
Meanwhile, Dame Vivienne Westwood used her ‘game changer of the year’ win to call for action on climate change.
She said: ‘Strike at the very structure of our economy. Our economy is the cause of climate change. Its name is military industrial conflict. It’s a war machine.’
Sir Anthony Hopkins was honoured with the legend prize, while Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen was named an ‘icon’.
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