Vaccine hesitancy has been blamed on the surge in infections of the Indian variant of coronavirus.
But why are some people not taking up their jabs and what’s the truth behind their concerns?
Here, Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, answers your questions...
I’d rather wait to see if vaccines really are safe. What’s wrong with that?
Covid-19 vaccines were tested extensively before they went into general use.
Subsequent data from their widespread use in the UK and other countries in many millions of people show that all the vaccines are very safe and that serious side effects are very rare.
If you delay getting vaccinated, you are at risk of getting infected and also put at the risk the people you are in contact with.
Other people need a vaccine more than me. Isn’t it OK to let others have theirs first?
People are prioritised for vaccination based on factors such as age and medical history.
When you receive your invitation to be vaccinated, you are not disadvantaging anyone else.
Aren’t people dying from blood clots because of the vaccine?
Reports of serious blood clots are very rare, with typically only a few cases per million doses of vaccine administered.
I don’t trust the Government, so why should I trust a vaccine they tell us to have?
Covid-19 vaccines were tested rigorously before they were used in the general population. No short cuts were taken in this testing. The safety of the vaccines continues to be assessed continually.
The odds of me dying from Covid are so low I’d rather take the risk of not being vaccinated.
Many people who survived a Covid-19 infection have been left with long-term complications such as heart and lung damage.
Vaccination reduces the risks of you suffering a serious illness, and also helps protect your elderly relatives and older work colleagues.
Haven’t lots of people died after having their first Covid shot?
Reports of people dying after their first Covid-19 vaccine are very rare. In most cases, death was due to natural causes and not linked to their vaccination.
Can the Covid vaccine affect fertility?
No, Covid-19 vaccines do not affect fertility.
This vaccine was developed in record time. I’m worried they cut corners to get it out in such a rush.
Vaccines were developed and tested in record time because of advances in medical technology in recent years and because bureaucratic obstacles to setting up research trials were minimised. No corners were cut in the development and testing processes.
I’ve already had Covid so I don’t think I need a vaccine. Won’t I already have immunity?
Natural immunity to Covid-19 can wear off and people can sometimes suffer a second infection. A vaccine boosts your immune response and gives you additional protection.
Natural immunity to Covid-19 can wear off and people can sometimes suffer a second infection. A vaccine boosts your immune response and gives you additional protection.
