The Queen urged everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine, saying skeptics 'ought to think about other people rather than themselves'

• In a video shared by the royal family, Queen Elizabeth II urged everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
• The 94-year-old monarch, who got vaccinated in January, said "the jab — it didn't hurt at all."
• The Queen's comments were reminiscent of her support for the polio vaccine in the 1950s.

Queen Elizabeth II spoke about her experience getting the COVID-19 vaccine in a recently released video from the royal family.

The 94-year-old monarch and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, both received their vaccines at Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace confirmed on January 9.

In a recording shared on Thursday from a video call with UK health officials, the Queen said: "Once you've had the vaccine you have a feeling of, you know, you're protected, which is I think very important."

—The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 25, 2021

"As far as I could make out it was quite harmless," the Queen continued. "It was very quick, and I've had lots of letters from people who have been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine. And the jab - it didn't hurt at all."

The monarch went on to encourage others to do the same once they have the opportunity to get the vaccine.

"I think the other thing is, that it is obviously difficult for people if they've never had a vaccine, but they ought to think about other people rather than themselves," the Queen said.

The Queen's message urging all to get the COVID-19 vaccine is reminiscent of her support of polio vaccination efforts more than 70 years ago.

In 1957, the Queen made public her decision to have her children Prince Charles and Princess Anne receive the polio vaccine.

At the time, Prince Charles was eight, and Princess Anne was six. The Queen's support for polio inoculations was one way that she attempted to alleviate public fears about the then-new vaccine, as The Telegraph's Camilla Tominey wrote.

The Queen's video call shared on Thursday also marked her first official appearance since 99-year-old Prince Philip was admitted to the hospital for an infection earlier in February.

"The Duke of Edinburgh remains at King Edward VII's Hospital where he is receiving medical attention for an infection," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Insider in a statement on Tuesday. "He is comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days."