Plea for elderly to get vaccine
TV PERSONALITY, chef, actress and singer Rustie Lee has teamed up with Age UK Calderdale and Kirklees to highlight the importance of the covid-19 vaccination for older people, especially those in Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.
Official figures show that across the UK only seven in 10 eligible black older people and around eight in 10 eligible Asian older people have been vaccinated so far, compared to more than nine in 10 eligible white older people.
These differences are a concern because black and Asian older people are more likely to test positive for Covid-19 and to become seriously ill and die from the virus.
Rustie said: “We all need to do our part to bring the country and life back to normal. That is why I was happy to have my first jab at the start of the month.
“Trust me, I am a baby when it comes to having injections. I wind myself up for days for the annual flu jab. But this time it was different. I had to do this not only to protect myself but my family and everyone I might get in contact with.
“So, when I arrived at the vaccination centre, I was glad to see how professional all the staff were. And not just professional, but genuinely nice. The nurses took their time to answer my questions and when it came to the injection, I felt absolutely nothing. I was surprised how quickly it was over.
“It is now about three weeks since my jab and I can honestly say that I’ve had no complications or side effects. “I would ask anyone, especially my Caribbean people to go and get vaccinated as soon as you can. Please do your part to help.”
Lisa Butland (pictured inset), Chief Executive for Age UK in Calderdale, said: “We are getting more information all the time about just how effective these vaccines are in keeping people safe and well, and in stopping the spread, and it is all really encouraging. “Many older people and families have had to live with the fear of contracting this virus or taking it home to their friends and relatives.
“After such a hard year, vaccination can start to lift that burden – but only if we take up the offer when it’s made to us,” she added.