Star Trek Star Patrick Stewart Gets COVID Vaccine, Thanks Healthcare Workers

Star Trek: Picard star Patrick Stewart has received the COVID-19 vaccine. Stewart, the 80-year-old actor who returned to his character from Star Trek: The Next Generation for a new series on CBS All Access that debuted in 2020, shared a video in which he gets the vaccine shot into his arm after waiting four hours in line. Stewart is English but lives in the United States. Receiving the vaccine will help protect him from contracting the coronavirus as he begins filming Star Trek: Picard‘s second season in February. Stewart made sure to express his appreciation for health care workers and scientists both in the video and in his Tweet sharing it.

“How do we say thank you to the health workers and scientists for their sacrifice and service?” Stewart tweeted. “Receive the vaccine as soon as one can to lessen their load and keep wearing a mask to protect fellow citizens. In my 80th year, I am grateful and hopeful for better days ahead.”

Earlier this month, Stewart began discussing what’s in store for Jean-Luc Picard in the second season of the streaming series. He touched on how Picard’s new artificial body may or may not affect his mindset, alluded to how the show reflects reality, and hinted at another significant change to come.

“That’s a question that I brought up with [co-creator Akiva Goldsman[ and [showrunner Terry Matalas] when the three of us were having a script discussion,” Stewart told Gold Derby. “I wanted to know what, exactly, they had done to me when they saved my life, and was there any chance that this might have an impact on Picard’s personality or behavior. They felt that it probably wouldn’t, but it lies there as an option should we need to take it. But also, there is another human aspect being introduced into season two, which I am not allowed to talk about, but it’s going to have, I think, quite an impact.

“There is a strong element of a better future in all of the Star Trek versions there have been I’m sure it will be present in the animated version when we see it,” Stewart continued. “But it’s undergoing a bit of a transformation at the moment as we’re working on Season Two of Picard. The world around us is not as calm, patient, democratic as it has been. There are issues that are very contemporary. Now don’t think for one moment, because Alex and Akiva would could me if they thought I was saying this, we are not tuning in to European politics or North American politics at all, but there is a sense in which things have gone wrong, and they need to be put back on track again. I hope that that will have a beneficial impact on our audience at home when they watch it. We don’t lecture to people. We tell stories. That’s our job. But I hope nevertheless there is a sense coming through, and I’m sure it will, of we have issues, and we have problems, and there is unfairness in the world, and we have got to resolve this if we can.”

Star Trek: Picard‘s first season is streaming now on CBS All Access.