Coronavirus deaths have been reduced to a trickle, with another 65 deaths recorded in the UK on Monday. The plunge in deaths owes in large to the UK’s mass vaccination programme, with 22,377,255 people now inoculated with the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s important note that the vaccines can cause side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection.
Are some people more prone to side effects than others?
According to data analysed by the COVID Symptom Study app, which has been monitoring the ongoing vaccination rollout, people have recorded more symptoms after the second dose of the vaccine compared with the first.
And people who had previously had COVID-19 were also more likely to have after effects following a single jab, compared with those who had never had the disease.
“This is expected,” said Dr Anna Goodman, Infectious Diseases Consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
“When your immune system has seen the virus before you tend to have a bit more of a response when you then see the antigen again, which can cause more side effects.”
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When will I receive the vaccine?
People aged 56 to 59 are the latest cohort to be called up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine this week.
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In England, the vaccine is being offered in some hospitals and pharmacies, at local centres run by GPs and at larger vaccination centres. More centres are opening all the time.
According to the NHS, you can book your vaccination appointments online if any of the following apply:
- You are aged 55 or over
- You are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
- You are an eligible frontline health or social care worker
- You have a condition that puts you at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
- You have a learning disability
- You are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus.
You can book appointments at a larger vaccination centre or a pharmacy that provides COVID-19 vaccinations.
It’s given as two doses – you will have the 2nd dose three to 12 weeks after having the first dose.
The vaccines approved for use in the UK have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Any coronavirus vaccine that is approved must go through all the clinical trials and safety checks all other licensed medicines go through. The MHRA follows international standards of safety.
Source: Daily Express
