How much good evidence does one need to get the Covid-19 vaccine? | Annie Lewis

Last week, nearly 40 leading scientists and health professionals met via video to discuss the situation. They found there was a possibility for the Indian variant to be 50 per cent more transmissible than the UK variant which ravaged the country earlier this year.

Reports have highlighted that the government was already committed to the easing on May 17, so that’s what stuck.

For many, this news is a huge blow. It hit me like a punch in the stomach.

The shining light in all of this is the vaccines. Rightfully, ministers are now urging more people to take up the call for vaccinations.

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, said anyone who was unsure should look at Bolton where there has been a surge in cases. New data has revealed most people in Bolton hospitals with Covid were eligible for a jab but had not had one.

I find it quite hard to believe some people are still avoiding the vaccine, apart from if they are medically advised not to. As one doctor recently told me, there are apparently more detrimental effects in a bottle of wine than in the Covid vaccine. So, now thinking about it, how many of us drink at least a bottle of wine each week?

If you’re sceptical about the vaccine, simply do your research. Read the studies and educate yourself.

By that, I don’t mean reading tweets or Facebook posts by friends and family who have had the jab. Read studies and facts online from legitimate sources or check trusted news outlets.

There is absolutely no excuse to not educate yourself about a vaccine which could save your life.

The pandemic has forced each and every one of us to take personal responsibility. It varies from who we meet up with; how many people we meet up with; what we expose ourselves to.

We all have a choice. For some, the vaccine may be a moral dilemma. But having the vaccine simultaneously means less pressure on our NHS. I know which choice I would make every time.

A kick in the teeth for Boris when own nurse leaves NHS

A nurse who cared for Boris Johnson while he was gravely ill in hospital with Covid-19 has left her job.

However, upon leaving, she stated the government’s one per cent pay offer highlighted the lack of respect for the profession.

I do not think anyone can blame her for leaving. This country has a history of taking NHS staff for granted and that has been evident more than ever in the past year.

Staff and medical professionals do not need us to clap for them. They need a fair wage.

I would not be surprised if there was a mass exodus from the NHS in the next few years. They should be treated better.

Congratulations to Naomi Campbell on her first child

The generalised concept that women are tied to a hypothetical body clock if they want to have children is a tale as old as time.

Many young women are almost indoctrinated with the idea that our eggs fall off a cliff after the age of 30 and it is hugely damaging. If you’re single and childless above that age, you’re suddenly a spinster.

However the delightful news that supermodel Naomi Campbell has welcomed a daughter at the age of 50 is not only wonderful for her personally, but helps reverse the idea that there is no hope for women to have a family after the age of 40. Naomi released the news on Twitter saying ‘there is no greater love’.