Ahsan is 24 years old and a volunteer with Darnall Well Being. Here she shares her Covid-19 vaccine story and why she decided to have the jab earlier this year.
“The thought of taking the vaccine was pretty daunting at first. I heard there were different vaccine options and at that time, I was not familiar with anyone who previously had the vaccine, other than my colleagues. Over time, I decided to do more research and was given reassurance that the vaccine was tested and safe beforehand. I also worked for the NHS, so I understood I would be more at risk, compared to someone staying at home during lockdown. I made the decision to go for the Pfizer Covid vaccine and the process was simple – and you have a professional that talks you through the treatment, if necessary. The whole process lasted up to 20 minutes and was straightforward. After the vaccine I felt very happy and was confident in my decision to go ahead with the second vaccine.
I would suggest anyone unsure of taking the vaccine does their own research on the benefits and the purpose of the vaccine.”
If, like Ahsan, you want to learn more about vaccines before you decide to have yours, these are some useful websites with plenty of information:
The NHS have lots of information and FAQs about vaccines.
The British Islamic Medical Association have a Covid vaccine hub on their website.
A group of independent UK doctors and professors have collated information about the vaccines from independent doctors and scientists here.
And if you want to double check anything that might hear about vaccines on social media, independent fact checking sites such as Full Fact can help.