The current Miss England winner has received her first dose of the Covid vaccine so she can continue to help saving lives as a doctor on the NHS frontline.
Dr Bhasha Mukherjee, 24, returned from India to the UK to answer the government’s call for retired and junior doctors back in April.
She has since worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic treating patients at Boston Pilgrim Hospital in Lincolnshire and Derby Royal Hospital.
The current Miss England winner has received her first dose of the Covid vaccine so she can continue to help saving lives as a doctor on the NHS frontline
This week the reigning beauty queen was delighted to receive her Pfizer vaccination so she can carry on fighting the virus on coronavirus wards at her busy hospital.
Dr Mukherjee, of Derby, posed for a selfie with her nurse so she could document the moment she received the potentially life-saving jab.
She said: ‘It’s good to know I’m protected and I’m sure my colleagues feel the same.
‘When I walked over to my allocated nurse, I asked nervously if I could have a photo taken because I wanted to cherish the moment.
Dr Bhasha Mukherjee, 24, of Derby, returned from India to the UK to answer the government’s call for retired and junior doctors back in April
‘She told me I was the first one to ask for a photo so far but of course I could have one.
‘I’m thankful as being BAME, I’m in a high-risk group. I was so excited but also nervous. I was jumping on my seat before I got jabbed.
‘My colleagues and I found out just days before that we would be receiving the vaccine this week.
‘The nurse giving me my injection told me to sit still or the photo would come out blurry.
Dr Mukherjee has worked tirelessly at Boston Pilgrim Hospital in Lincolnshire and Derby Royal Hospital said she was ‘excited but also nervous’ about receiving her jab
‘The gentleman taking the photo did a cheeky selfie shot with us all in and we all had a laugh.
‘I then asked for the customary sticker and the lovely nurse said “Oh you are needy” before chuckling and handing me the sticker.
‘It didn’t hurt and after a few hours, I even did a Zoom home workout, press-ups and all, to celebrate. I have been perfectly well since.
‘I feel so grateful to be in the position to have received the vaccine when millions are in the waiting line across the globe.
Dr Mukherjee, of Derby, posed for a selfie with her nurse so she could document the historic moment she received the potentially life-saving jab
‘My prayers are with everyone who’s waiting patiently at home including my own family members who I hope will get their vaccines soon too.’
Dr Mukherjee became the longest-serving winner in the 92-year history of Miss England in October after Covid-19 scuppered the 2020 finals.
She was crowned Miss England in July 2019 and cut her stay in India short while carrying out charity work to return to the frontline.
The doctor, who was the nation’s first South Asian Miss England, has been working 12-hour shifts often seven days a week at the height of the pandemic.
Dr Mukherjee admitted the crisis has been a far cry from the glitz and glamour of beauty pageants but had managed to juggle work with her Miss England duties.
Dr Mukherjee became the longest-serving winner in the 92-year history of Miss England in October after Covid-19 scuppered the 2020 finals, having been crowned with the title in July 2019
She added: ‘It’s been an honour to continue serving my country during the Covid pandemic as well as being able to do it as Miss England.
‘There’s no better time for me to be Miss England while helping England at this time of need.
‘It has been tough for everyone and while I was doing my charity work abroad I just wanted to be back home helping my colleagues.
‘I’ve still been doing plenty of charity work remotely and being able to do that and serve the nation at the same time has been really special.
‘It’s a shame the Miss England contest was postponed again but I’m delighted to be their longest-serving winner.
Dr Mukherjee asked the nurse for a sticker reading ‘I’ve had my Covid vaccination’ which she stuck on her lanyard
‘It’s bitter-sweet in a way as the circumstances aren’t ideal, it’s hard to celebrate when you’re seeing Covid numbers rising in your hospital.
‘In the summer we had far fewer positive Covid cases – but now suddenly it is a different story.
‘We’re seeing more asymptomatic patients testing positive and more people coming in for different problems who turn out to have the virus.
‘So it has certainly been a challenging time, I’m in the urological surgery department as well as the Covid ward.
‘Juggling that with Miss England duties can be tricky – but I think I’ve managed to find the balance.’
She said it was bittersweet becoming the longest-running Miss England winner because ‘it’s hard to celebrate when you’re seeing Covid numbers rising in your hospital’