Sir Paul McCartney wants to get COVID vaccine as soon as possible: 'You don't want grandad to collapse'

Sir Paul McCartney has said he wants to join the queue to get the COVID vaccine, adding “I’m a grandad and you don’t want grandad to collapse”.

The 78-year-old superstar should have been playing Glastonbury this year, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but says he can see a glimmer of hope on the horizon with the vaccine.

He told The Sun: “It is great news about the vaccine. I’ll have it as soon as I’m allowed.

“I’m a grandad and you don’t want grandad to collapse. You’ve got to stay strong, that’s all you can do, or you go under.”

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However, he still doesn’t expect to be back at Glastonbury until 2022 at the earliest, saying the festival could potentially be a “super-spreader”.

Sir Paul would join the likes of Ian McKellen, Lionel Blair and Prue Leith who have all had the jab, with Bob Geldof, Michael Palin and Michael Parkinson amongst the famous supporters who have publicly encouraged others to get vaccinated.

He would potentially be in the fourth group to get the vaccine in the UK, with care home residents and carers, the over 80s and health and social care frontline workers, and the over 75s all going first.

But while the former Beatle is keen to get the vaccine, he is less of a fan of lockdowns as a measure to control the virus.

Arguing that we have been brought up to enjoy the freedom of democracy, he said that he didn’t believe you could lock down a whole country “unless you’re China”.

He added: “I’m not sure you can say to all those girls you see in Liverpool in the freezing cold in the tiniest of miniskirts on a Saturday night in the middle of winter, ‘Look, you’ve got to stay home’.”

Despite his views on lockdown, Sir Paul did say that he had enjoyed more time at home with his wife Nancy and their family during 2020.

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