+ The vaccine was developed too quickly - how can it be safe?

There haven’t been any shortcuts to produce the current vaccines. A few elements influenced their rapid and safe development:

• Scientists were not starting from scratch, vaccination against SARS-derived viruses was being developed before the Covid-19 outbreak.
• There was more funding available: Given the unprecedented strain Covid-19 posed on nations, private and public funds were unlocked more easily than for other types of vaccines or medications.
• Clinical trial sizes and duration followed strict safety protocols and standards but were able to deliver results faster compared to other vaccines because the key phases were deployed immediately, one after another, something that is rarely possible because of funding restrictions.
• All parties were involved since the early stages of research and development. Because of this, regulatory approvals were speedy and so were manufacturing processes.

+ I already had Covid-19. Should I get vaccinated?

Yes. Although people who have been seriously ill with Covid-19 are most likely to have developed an immune response, those who had a very mild infection or were completely asymptomatic have a less strong immune response. In any case, the vaccine will act as a booster for the immune system, to increase protection and ensure that it lasts for longer.

More information: Episode #25 from the World Health Organisation.

+ Why do I need to get the vaccine twice?

It works as spaced-repetition training. The first shot primes the immune response, while the second will boost that training. It is estimated that the first dose gives you between 50% and 60% protection against severe disease (after a few weeks) and the second dose boosts the protection to over 90%.

More information: World Health Organisation and a full BBC Report

+ What about the side effects?

As with all medicines, side effects can occur after getting a vaccine. However, these are usually very minor and of short duration. In the UK, most side-effects reported relate to a sore arm and/or mild ‘flu-like’ symptoms but no other new severe safety concerns have been identified.

More information: MHRA Coronavirus ‘Yellow Card’ and World Health Organization

+ Will the vaccine alter my DNA?

This is a myth. The available vaccines are referred to as mRNA vaccines, and are capable of giving instructions to the body to make a protein, but are not capable of changing the DNA of our human cells.

More information: World Health Organization

+ Is the vaccine vegan/vegetarian?

The current vaccines used in the UK do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.

More information: Vegetarian Society

+ I don’t eat certain foods, how can I be sure the vaccine doesn’t contain…

Pork products: Manufacturers and regulators have confirmed that the vaccines do not contain any meats or meat-derived products (such as gelatin)

Nuts, eggs, lactose products: None of these ingredients were used for producing the vaccine.

More information: Specialist Pharmacy Service

+ Has anyone died from receiving the vaccine?

There were no deaths associated with the vaccine on clinical trials. Some recent cases of people in other countries who have died after receiving the vaccine are not associated with the vaccination. As most of the vaccinated population are elderly, some will pass due to severe pre-existing conditions.

More information: Report on recent deaths in European countries by DW

+ Does the vaccine have a microchip in it?

This is a myth. All doses are heavily scrutinised by health authorities.

More information: World Health Organization

+ What exactly is being injected into my body?

Here’s a link to the full list of ingredients used in the vaccines currently being used in the UK. Besides the active substance, the vaccine contains liquid fats, sucrose and compounds dissolved in water for injections.

More information: Contents of the vaccines

+ How is getting vaccinated helping others?

By getting vaccinated against Covid-19, we are reducing our individual risk of mortality and severe disease, which will reduce pressure on health services and contribute to restoring societal and economic activity.

More information: Coronavirus data in the UK

+ Will we be able to go back to our normal life if I’m vaccinated?

Not immediately. We still need to take safety measures as washing hands often, since we are still not sure for how long the protection of these vaccines will last and there is still a need for more people to be vaccinated. When facing a pandemic-level disease, no one is safe until everyone is safe.

More information: Episode #15 World Health Organization

+ The vaccine doesn’t even stop Covid, why should I get it?

The vaccine will protect you from severe illness or death. This will surely be beneficial for your loved ones, but you will also be contributing to your community and to the wider nation by avoiding additional pressure on health services.

+ Is this vaccine only focused on extending the life of the aged?

While the elderly and people with pre-existing medical conditions are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus, younger people can also be severely infected by the COVID-19 virus. The vaccine was designed to protect all adults and not just older populations.

More information: World Health Organisation and Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

+ I don’t trust this government…

The vaccination programme is not part of the political agenda of the current UK government and was not in the plans of any of the political parties. Vaccines have been a critical apolitical tool to fight diseases.

+ What about the vaccine passport? The government is making us all get the vaccine

This is not true, the vaccine is not mandatory. It is up to you to attend the appointment when invited. Your NHS number is not necessary to get the vaccine, you may be offered a sticker and vaccine card with the date of the second dose, but neither are mandatory documents.

+ What about other countries?

There is an ongoing concerted effort to manufacture and fairly distribute vaccines across the world. The World Health Organisation and its partners have launched an accelerator partnership called “Access to Covid Tools” (ACT), supporting the building of manufacturing capabilities, and buying a supply for all countries ahead of time so that 2 billion doses can be fairly distributed by the end of 2021.

The United Kingdom has been the biggest funder for the ACT platform so far, and UK-based independent organisations such as the Wellcome Trust have also contributed significantly.

More information: ACT Accelerator

+ Do vaccines contain fetal cells?

No. The vaccines do not contain any fetal tissue, they employ molecules that have been synthesised artificially in laboratories.

More information: Analysis by Researcher John Wyatt

+ Am I not trusting God by getting the vaccine?

From a Christian perspective, we should first pause and give thanks that God has given us, here and now in the 21st Century, the scientific knowledge, the human expertise and motivation and the financial resources to undertake this massive scientific enterprise for the good of humankind.

We prayed for the scientific community to discover a vaccine and asked God to give us the spirit to heal. God answered, and gave the scientists the creativity and strength. After taking the vaccine we still all come together under the faith.

Read more from John Wyatt | Listen to Pastor Agu from Jesus House

+ Is this vaccine part of end-time theology?

The apostle Paul says that we are “spiritually dead in sin” until we are made alive with Christ (Eph 2:1-6). As Christians, God has blessed us with the spirit to not fear, and we have leaned on Him through prayer during difficult times. The vaccine is being regarded by the Church as God’s answer to our prayers.

+ Is getting vaccinated an act of humility or egoism?

Being open to get the vaccine is not to prioritise our selfish satisfaction but to protect our families from pain, and supporting our communities to restore a healthy life. This is a blessing and an act of love for our neighbours. Covid-19 and the recovery from it have proven to strengthen us all spiritually.

+ Is this a big pharmaceutical companies’ strategy for increasing profit?

It is not true that vaccines have been deployed to the benefit of one single company or a specific sector. There is not a vaccine monopoly. As of February 2021, seven different vaccines have been rolled out in countries, more than 200 additional vaccine candidates are in development, of which more than 60 are in clinical development; all been researched and manufactured by a diverse range of stakeholders.

More information: World Health Organisation