EU regulators have ruled that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective after Europe rushed to ban the jab over sporadic reports of blood clots.
And, John Barrowman, 54, received his second shot of the Covid-19 Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, on Friday, and urged others to get the jab, insisting, there’s ‘nothing to be afraid of!’
The actor took to Instagram where he shared footage of himself receiving his second shot in Port Talbot, Wales and asserted: ‘It’s better to have 24 hours of feeling yucky than to be laid down in hospital and lose your life!’
All good! John Barrowman, 54, received his second shot of the Covid-19 Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, on Friday, and urged others to get the jab, insisting, there’s ‘nothing to be afraid of!’
With 1980s hit Celebration by Cool and The Gang playing in the background, John documented himself having his second vaccine jab.
Speaking to the camera while wearing a facemask, he explained: ‘We’re in Port Talbot in Wales and we’re having the second injection. We’re doing the second injection of that AstraZeneca which is A-okay and you should get it, so here we go!’
After having the jab, he announced: ‘Easy peasy! Do you know what that means now? When I go home I can hug my mum and dad. I haven’t hugged them for a year!’
‘It’s safe. It’s secure. No matter what they’re saying, get it done. It’s better to get it done and be with your family and get the country back on the road again. Love it. Thank you,’ said the actor.
Documenting the day: The actor took to Instagram where he shared footage of himself receiving his second shot in Port Talbot, Wales and urged his followers: ‘get your vaccine’
Outside the vaccination centre, John continued: ‘All done. I’ll get to hug my mum and dad, because they’ve been vaccinated.
‘Nothing to be afraid of! All I did when I got my first, all I did when I got my first was take a panadol for a sore arm.
‘And if there’s a bit of a reaction, temperature or whatever, then so be it. It’s better to have 24 hours of feeling yucky than to be laid down in hospital and lose your life, so get your vaccine. Lots of love. NHS, thank you.’
Alongside the video, John wrote: ‘Got my Vaccine. Celebrate!! Thank you to the NHS for looking after us during this Pandemic and making sure we all get vaccinated.
‘I can now hug my mum and dad. I’m so grateful and happy.’
It’s safe! After having the jab, John said: ‘It’s safe. It’s secure. No matter what they’re saying, get it done. It’s better to get it done and be with your family and get the country back on the road again!’
The makers of the three vaccines, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, that the MHRA has approved for use so far, have all said they are aiming to modify their jabs to cope with variants of coronavirus this year.
Last week, AstraZeneca, the maker of the Oxford vaccine, said it hopes its new vaccine will be ready by autumn.
MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine said there is no evidence that current vaccines are lacking effectiveness against known coronavirus variants.
Real talk: ‘If there’s a bit of a reaction, temperature or whatever, then so be it. It’s better to have 24 hours of feeling yucky than to be laid down in hospital and lose your life’ said John
She said: ‘Since December last year we have all been concerned about the appearance of variants – Kent, South Africa, more recently Brazil – and therefore we’re well-prepared to look at, when it’s needed, updates to ensure the vaccines being used in citizens are fully effective.
‘Our goal is to ensure the vaccine modifications in future that respond to the new variants can be available in the shortest possible time but without compromising in any way on safety, on quality and on effectiveness.
‘What I would emphasise at the outset is that we don’t have evidence at the moment that the vaccines in use in the UK are significantly lacking in effectiveness but we are now well-prepared.’