Page 30 - City Life Magazine - Spring 2021

30 Issue 54 • March 2021

COVID-19 UPDATE

COVID-19 vaccination:

your questions answered

A message from Dr Ian Tait, GP and Chair of NHS Herefordshire and
Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group.

some of the common
Dr Ian Tait
questions I get asked as
a GP.

WHICH VACCINE IS
BETTER OR MORE
EFFECTIVE AND ARE
THEY BOTH SAFE?
The two vaccines currently
available (Pfizer/BioNTech
and Oxford/AstraZeneca)
are very effective. Both
vaccines have been
approved because they
Firstly, I would like to passed initial rigorous
take this opportunity to tests on safety. Their
thank you for all you are effectiveness and safety
doing in the fight against continues to be carefully
COVID-19. Entering a third monitored during the roll-
national lockdown at the out with lessons learnt Resident David Clark
beginning of this year was and disseminated about and Dr Neill Bramble
not easy but everything their best use. Therefore,
you continue to do is people should be assured CAN PREGNANT CAN PEOPLE DO WHAT
helping to save lives and that whichever vaccine they WOMEN HAVE THE THEY WANT AFTER
protect the NHS. are offered will be highly VACCINE, AND DOES IT THEY HAVE BEEN
effective and safe. AFFECT FERTILITY? VACCINATED?
The national roll-out of the Pregnant women should As much as we would all
COVID-19 vaccination has ARE THERE ANY discuss the benefits and love to return to normal
been a huge achievement SIDE EFFECTS? risks of having the vaccine and see our loved ones it
for the NHS and partners. Like all medicines, vaccines with their healthcare is essential that everyone
All GP practices across can cause side effects. professional and reach a continues to follow
Worcestershire are now Most of these are mild joint decision based on national safety guidance
offering the COVID-19 and short-term, lasting no individual circumstances. even when they have had
vaccine to their patients longer than a week, and There is no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine.
in priority order and we not everyone gets them. the vaccine affects fertility. We all must stay at home
also have three vaccination Side effects may include: a if possible, wear a face
centres in the county sore arm where the needle ARE NEW STRAINS OF mask/covering, remember
offering the vaccine to the went in, feeling tired, a COVID-19 RESISTANT TO social distancing
most vulnerable. When it is headache, feeling achy or THE VACCINE? and wash our hands
your turn to be vaccinated feeling/being sick. There is currently no evidence more frequently.
you will be contacted by to suggest that either vaccine
your GP or the national ARE THERE ANIMAL presently in use would not If you would like more
booking system. COMPONENTS IN protect people against the information on the
THE VACCINE? new strain. However, as vaccination roll-out
I know that some of you The MHRA has confirmed you would expect, there is across Worcestershire
may be nervous about the that neither vaccine ongoing monitoring and please visit: https://
vaccine or unsure whether currently available contains research to make sure the herefordshireand
you should accept it, so any components of most effective vaccines worcestershireccg.nhs.uk/
below I have answered animal origin. continue to be used. covid-19-vaccine

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