The Sunday Post (Newcastle)

Ignore the scaremonge­rs and roll up your sleeve for the jab. Science is on your side

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There’s been a lot of debate around the potential risks of the AstraZenec­a vaccine. Research linked the jab to rare blood clots, and it has been announced all under-30s will to be offered an alternativ­e. After 20 million doses were administer­ed, 79 people developed the condition, and 19 patients ultimately lost their lives.

While it’s terrible to think anyone has died as a result of vaccinatio­n, there are complicati­ons to every medicine we take and the risk really is very, very low. Scientists believe there is only a four in one million chance of developing a clot, which is far lower than, for example, those taking the contracept­ive pill (500 per million) or even getting deep vein thrombosis after a long-haul flight (1,000 per million). I had the AstraZenec­a vaccine, with zero side effects, and I have absolutely no concerns about taking my second dose. Our vaccine rollout has been informed by science,

and the programme is progressin­g so well, it’s believed we will pass the threshold for herd immunity by tomorrow.

So, let’s stop the scaremonge­ring and continue to roll up our sleeves.

 ??  ?? A vial of AstraZenec­a vaccine
A vial of AstraZenec­a vaccine

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