To date, more than 48 million people in the UK (that’s 84% of over 12s) have now received their first and second Covid-19 vaccination doses, with more than 37 million receiving their “booster” or third dose too. The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency shows shortly after getting a booster, you are 85% less likely to end up in hospital than if you are unvaccinated. According to the Office for National Statistics, more than nine in 10 adults in the UK currently have coronavirus antibodies, either due to a past Covid infection or thanks to receiving the vaccine. But some still remain hesitant to receive their vaccination, citing reasons such as fear of potential side-effects and concerns over the speed of the vaccine’s creation, as well as practical barriers such as physical and mental health conditions making appointments difficult.
Merchandising administrator and dancer, Camila Lopez-Pulido, 26, from London, fell into the vaccine hesitant camp, initially unsure about taking up the vaccine. “There were a number of reasons I was hesitant about getting vaccinated, but I think primarily it was the uncertainty of the whole situation,” she says. “To create a vaccine in such a short amount of time and to know so little about it – that was worrying to me. I was unsure, thinking: ‘How do I know this isn’t going to affect me in a year, or five years’ time?’ I felt we didn’t know enough about the vaccines and that worried me if I’m honest.”
Uncertainty over the right thing to do meant Lopez-Pulido held off booking her vaccination appointment. “I’d been receiving NHS text messages asking me to book my vaccine since July 2021, but I kept putting it off,” she says. The situation proved stressful, made worse by conflicting views within her friendship group, a situation many others will be familiar with.
“There was definitely a split where some friends believed one thing and others believed differently. It was really difficult,” she says. “I think it’s hard to have an open conversation around vaccines without people assuming you think the virus ‘doesn’t exist’ or you’re disregarding the severity of the situation, which I’m absolutely not. I suppose I was just curious because I figured there’s no going back once you’ve had it.”
It wasn’t until September [2021], ahead of a holiday to Greece, that she booked her first vaccine appointment. “I figured I’d eventually have to do it and there was no point putting it off any longer,” she says. “I also reasoned that I’m an occasional drinker and social smoker and I’ve had plenty of other vaccinations before, including when pregnant. If I’m honest, I didn’t do my research back then or really know what was being done to my body at that point, so why was I assuming the worst now, why not take the vaccine? It seemed silly,” she says.
An awareness for those around her also played a part in her decision. “I’m pretty convinced that before I got vaccinated, I had already contracted Covid-19 so I’m very lucky to be healthy. My family and I weren’t affected by the pandemic health wise like many other families have been, thankfully. So while I felt relieved to be getting vaccinated, it wasn’t necessarily in terms of my own health – more in terms of people like my mother, because she’s older so could have underlying health issues.”
Much to Lopez-Pulido’s relief, the vaccination itself was simple, without side-effects or complications. “The vaccine didn’t affect me in terms of my health – so far, everything has been pretty normal and I haven’t felt any different or experienced symptoms really. Even straight after the injection, I had a sore arm and that was it. I didn’t get a bad cold or a temperature at all, so I guess that was my biggest relief.”
There was another major benefit too, she says. “I have two children: Kiara, aged seven, and Jacob, who is four years old, and I’d planned to take them to Disneyland Paris pretty much their entire lives. When we went as a family in November, the fact I was vaccinated made it so much easier. It was very much like ‘take out your NHS passes and your vaccination certificates’ everywhere we went. I was so incredibly relieved, thinking: ‘Gosh, imagine if I wasn’t vaccinated – we wouldn’t be able to have done this.’ I definitely felt much more at ease knowing I could live my life again, really.”
Mikaela Bartlett, 28, is a digital marketer and new mother from Devon
My son Max was born in July 2021 and throughout my pregnancy, I was pretty anxious and uncertain over whether or not to get vaccinated. Months of deliberation meant I waited until May [2021], two months before Max was born via C-section, to have my first dose. I was able to squeeze in the second dose a few weeks before giving birth, getting my booster in December after he was born.
Throughout my pregnancy, I felt conflicted about the vaccination because it felt like there was a lack of information available about the vaccine’s safety during pregnancy. I was also aware that being pregnant and having an autoimmune condition could make me more susceptible to serious illness or other complications if I were to contract Covid-19. It meant I spent a lot of time researching studies, as well as speaking to my hospital consultant, midwife and GP, asking for advice around what to do. Unfortunately, I found nobody wanted to give specific recommendations.
As a first-time mum, you’re especially nervous, which meant all the uncertainty around the vaccine definitely added to the fear and paranoia. There were so many horror stories that it was difficult to know what to believe, or what to choose. My partner was supportive and said he was behind me, whatever I chose to do. I think the turning point for me came after speaking to my GP, who was seven months pregnant herself. She explained that she’d gotten the vaccine because she was seeing patients regularly and felt it was the best decision, so that really reassured me. Because Max was due to be born by C-section, I also knew that could make me more prone to infection, so that was another reason to get the vaccine.
Looking back, I’m really relieved I got vaccinated when I did. I’ve since heard of friends of friends who contracted Covid-19 while having their baby in hospital and it sounds incredibly stressful being isolated at such a vulnerable time. I knew getting the virus would add another huge layer of stress, whereas I actually felt quite relaxed going into hospital to have Max, without the worry of contracting it or potentially passing it on to someone else. Even the thought of having a cold when pregnant or with a newborn was awful – the reality of catching Covid-19 would have been really hideous.
I think, ultimately, the risk of catching the virus while pregnant – and being in intensive care or having a premature labour – outweighed any potential vaccine consequences that might realistically never have even come to light. I suppose it was measuring up the theoretical consequences with a genuine, real risk. Thankfully, Max was born with no complications either – and I’m pleased to say, very happy and healthy indeed.
Covid-19 vaccination and pregnancy: what you need to know
Pregnant women who get symptomatic Covid-19 infection are up to three times more likely to give birth to their baby prematurely.
More than 96% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 symptoms between May and October 2021 were unvaccinated.
Around one in five women who are hospitalised with the virus need to deliver preterm to help them recover.
Get your booster in England now by visiting nhs.uk/covidvaccination. If you’re in Scotland, visit nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine, for Wales, visit gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination and for Northern Ireland, visit covid-19.hscni.net/get-vaccinated
This advertiser content was paid for by the UK government. All together (“Get boosted now”) is a government-backed initiative tasked with informing the UK about the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information, visit gov.uk/coronavirus
