Why vaccination is a simple but important way to look after your health

Our London GP friends Dr Oge and Dr Tehseen are back to explain why vaccination is a simple but important way to look after your health

Who should have a COVID-19 vaccination this spring?

Dr Oge Ilozue:

“You can get your free NHS COVID-19 vaccine this spring if you:

• are aged 75 or over
• are aged 6 months to 74 years and have a weakened immune system because of a health condition or treatment
• live in a care home for older adults

“Vaccination plays a key role in helping to protect older people who have a higher risk of infection in later life.

As we get older, our immune systems don’t work quite as well as they used to. This means infections like COVID-19, can make us more unwell, for longer, and increase the risk of serious complications or hospital treatment. 

As a GP, I know that having your free NHS spring COVID-19 vaccine is one of the best ways to protect yourself. It helps reduce your chance of becoming seriously ill, helps you recover faster if you do catch the virus, and it lowers your risk of needing hospital care.

The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain any live virus, so it cannot give you COVID.

Dr Tehseen Khan, GP and Vaccination Clinical Advisor, NHS London

“If your immune system isn’t working as well as it should, you’re more likely to get infections and to become seriously unwell from viruses like COVID-19.

This may be because of a health condition such as a blood cancer or HIV, or the effects of certain treatments like steroids, chemotherapy, or medicines taken after an organ or stem cell transplant.

Having your free NHS Spring COVID-19 vaccine helps strengthen your protection. It reduces your risk of severe illness, helps you recover more quickly if you catch the virus, and lowers your chance of needing hospital care.

The COVID-19 vaccine does not contain any live virus, so is safe to have even if you are immunosuppressed.”

Dr Oge Ilozue, GP and Vaccination Clinical Advisor, NHS London

Can the vaccine give me the virus?

“No. COVID-19 vaccines are ‘inactivated’, meaning they do not contain any of the live virus, so you cannot catch the Covid virus from having the vaccine. But what it does do is give you just enough to trigger your body's own immune response or defence mechanism to produce antibodies to the vaccine.

But the vaccine may take two weeks to be effective, so if you catch COVID-19 in that timeframe you may become ill. That is why we encourage people to have their vaccinations as soon as they can.”

What about the side effects?

“You might experience flu-like symptoms as a vaccinations side effect. But these are usually mild and show that your body is producing antibodies to protect itself.

More serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction are very rare. The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.”

How do I know these vaccines are safe?

“These vaccines have been rigorously tested, are constantly monitored and we know that the benefits of having the vaccinations far outweigh any risk.

But it’s completely understandable that people may have some concerns about whether it is safe or right for them to receive the vaccines.

If you do have questions or concerns, I encourage you to speak to a trusted healthcare professional. This can be your GP, nurse, pharmacist, health visitor or consultant, all of whom can provide evidence-based information.”

Book online at nhs.uk/bookcovid or search ‘covid vaccine’ on the NHS website or call 119 free of charge (an interpreter is available if needed).