One in 10 people reported negative sentiment towards the vaccine, as shown by the latest release from the Office for National Statistics. Dr Vithlani addresses why this would be.
The vaccine has been made too quickly
“Yes, the vaccine has been produced and approved quickly,” said Dr Vithlani. “But it’s important to remember that this is because of global efforts.
I’ve already had Covid, so I don’t need the vaccine
Although re-infection is “uncommon”, the health risks associated with coronavirus are still of concern.
This is why Dr Vithlani advises people to “still have the vaccine if it’s available to you”.
The length of time immunity exist post infection is still under investigation.
Once this data is gathered, it will “help dictate how frequently a follow-up vaccination may be required”.
There’s no point taking the vaccine unless everyone is vaccinated
With talk surrounding herd immunity, Dr Vithlani explained that “the idea of vaccinating more people in the population is to help those who are more vulnerable”.
Examples include babies and those who are unable to have the vaccine.
“Once an individual is vaccinated, they will develop protection through an immune response from their immune system,” he added.
Thus, the more people who are vaccinated, the better, he implied.
Dr Vithlani is the clinical lead at Qured – a government approved Covid testing kit service.
