Sam Wells is a doctor from Northern Ireland, currently working in London.

It’s here. Finally, a vaccine is being rolled out across the UK and, gradually, around the world. And not just one vaccine – three have been shown to be effective against COVID-19, with more still in the pipeline. 

We have been waiting for this moment for many months, but now that it is here, can we trust these vaccines?  Here are some questions that I have heard when discussing it with colleagues, friends, and family.  

Is it safe? 

Each of the three vaccines have been tested on thousands of people. The results are assessed by independent regulators; in the UK this is the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA). So far, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been approved for use. We need to understand that the MHRA has a high bar for safety, particularly for vaccines, as we are giving them to healthy people. 

Has it been rushed? 

Two things usually slow down vaccine trials: a lack of volunteers and funding. Neither of these have been problems in the pharmaceutical fight against COVID-19. We have had many willing volunteers for each step of the clinical trials.

Usually, vaccine trials are required to move through stages sequentially. This is because at each phase they need to stop and prove to the funding bodies that it has been successful. This has not been the case for COVID-19 vaccine development. Funding was available to set up and prepare the next phase well before the first was finished. Adequate funding simply skipped the bureaucracy between phases that usually occurs. 

What if I don’t take it? 

We must put the vaccine in context of the current pandemic. In Northern Ireland over 3,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week alone. We now know much more about the impacts of COVID-19 – not only the deaths but also the ongoing effects. The vaccines can have some side effects such as a sore arm, headaches and feeling achy, but these mild possibilities must be weighed against the much more serious chance of death from COVID-19.

What can I do to get it? 

At the moment you don’t need to do anything. In fact, the next step is for the public to wait to be called in turn, according to risk. Up to 50,000 doses of the vaccine have already been delivered to Northern Ireland.

I hope that I have reassured you that the vaccines we have so far are safe and worth the small risk of mild side effects for the benefit of counteracting the devastating damage done by COVID-19. 

Spread the word. 

More answers to questions about the vaccine can be found at NHS.UK