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. The data from this research and 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 being called for vaccination at the right time for you and 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’re trying to get 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 more
vulnerable people such as 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.
I’m suffer from a lot of allergies, so I’m worried I’ll
have a serious reaction to the jab too.
Many millions of people who suffer from allergies have
safely received a Covid-19 vaccination.
Can the Covid vaccine affect fertility?
Covid-19 vaccines do not affect fertility.
BAME communities have been treated badly in the past by
health authorities. Why should we trust them now?
BAME communities are at much higher risk of serious illness
and death from Covid-19. Vaccines will protect them from these risks. BAME
organisations and health professionals have advised the members of their
communities to get vaccinated when they are invited, so it is not only health
authorities that are recommending the vaccines.
Are vaccines halal?
Covid-19 vaccines have been confirmed to be halal and
acceptable for use in Muslims by religious scholars across the world. No Muslim
country has refused to use Covid-19 vaccines.
I’ve seen videos where doctors say vaccines are dangerous
and even change your DNA. Why should I believe another doctor who says it is
safe and not those who have concerns?
Vaccines are safe and do not change your DNA. Extensive
research has confirmed the safety of the vaccines.
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.
You might seem OK after having your vaccine, but who
knows how it might affect your health in several years’ time?
We now have evidence from many millions of people that
vaccines substantially reduce the risks of serious illness and death. Ongoing
research has shown the vaccines are safe and highly effective. The risks from
Covid-19 infection in contrast are immediate and serious.
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 from infection.
I’ve heard that vaccines can cause autism. What’s the
truth?
There is no link between vaccines and autism.
I don’t want the dangerous chemicals in vaccines like
formaldehyde, mercury and aluminium getting in to my body.
Vaccines are extensively tested to prove that the chemicals
in them are safe.
Wasn’t the Spanish Flu vaccine responsible for 50 million
deaths?
The deaths from Spanish Flu were caused by a virus, not by a
vaccine.
A version of this article was first published in the Daily Mirror.
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