BPS ROLL OUT THE VACCINE Is it safe for me?

GET IT DONE Dr Clare Macmichael, one of the longest serving GPs at Balham Park Surgery, talked to the patient group at the January PG meeting via Zoom . She has been part of the team giving vaccinations and said it has been an exhilarating experience helping to beat the virus. Her message to everyone is “Get it Done ” because vaccination is the best way to keep people out of hospital and the death rate down. She appealed especially to members of the BAME community to get the jab because it is clear that this group is holding back in spite of evidence they are disproportionately susceptible to getting the virus and needeng to be hopitalised. She also urged paid care workers who visit many vulnerable patients to get vaccinated quickly – they are eligible for early vaccination.

Several questions were put to her about the safety of the vaccination. Dr Macmichael said vaccines are a tried and tested medication and severe reactions are very rare indeed. She has observed minor short-term effects such as fatigue and a stiff arm but so far nothing serious, and based on many years as a GP and the information she has seen, she does not expect any long term problems.

Dr Macmichael said advice around pregnancy and the vaccine is not clear cut but essentially it is a question of the balance of risk. Women who know themselves to be pregnant should wait till they had had their baby except those women working in front line jobs where the risks of contracting the virus were greater. However Dr Macmichael pointed out that vaccines have been around a long time with very few problems, and this is as safe as the flu vaccine. Any well-known birth problems have been caused by medication not vaccination.

Patient group BULLETIN issue 2, january 2021

“Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations, the take up amongst the older generation will be 100% - it ought to be – because you’re having it not just for yourself but for people who you are close to – you’re doing your bit for society." Sir Ian McKellen, 17 January 2021

Importantly, she pointed out no-one should be worried about contra-indications with other medications. The advice from the MHRA, the UK regulatory body, is clear: There is no clash. Previous advice to people with allergies has been changed to say only patients who have suffered severe reactions to vaccines in the past should avoid the jab Everyone else, even patients with serious allergies or who those who use an EpiPen, should go ahead.

Rose said she had a friend who was terrified of needles. Dr Macmichael was very reassuring and said the amount of liquid being injected was minuscule so the needle was very fine and patients hardly seemed to notice it – so that’s good news.

Monica has had the jab. She asked how long she should shelter for, if she could start to see her family and should she continue to wear a mask? Definitely carry on with the mask, Dr Macmichael advised, because it is a crucial defence and there is the risk of newer strains we don’t know about. She recommended keeping social distance for a while yet. But she offered the reassurance that following the vaccination if Monica was unlucky enough to fall ill with covid it would be a milder form and she would be unlikely to need to go to hospital.

We thanked Dr Machmichael for coming and giving us the chance to hear directly from the frontline. She left us with some final thoughts: not to stop wearing masks, to keep our distance and to continue to wash hands frequently in order to keep on top of the infection rate which she reckons will be around for a while yet. We all felt our spirits rise after her talk. It was a rare moment of optimism and we were left feeling we can beat this provided enough people get the jab.

A SPECIAL CASE - Lorraine, our Patient Services Manager, sends a message encouraging patients to go ahead and have the vaccine. Lorraine is recovering from intense chemotherapy and stem cell transplant treatment. When she was offered the vaccine, she contacted her consultant who advised her to go right ahead: “We are not sure how much protection it will provide but some protection is better than none”. Lorraine took his advice and now feels much safer at work.

WANT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND? STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? STILL UNSURE?Anybody who turned down the chance of a vaccination is welcome to change their mind– just call the surgery for detais of available appointments and you will be booked at the first available slot. . There is a question and answer sheet on the https://balhamparksurgery.co.uk/covid-19-coronavirus/ which we hope will address your issues. However, if you still have questions or doubts, please do call the surgery and ask to speak to a doctor.

DON’T JUST RELY ON SOCIAL MEDIA – GO TO THE EXPERTS At times it seems as though we are overwhelmed with information. One good independent source is The British Society of Immunology which offers two great videos with answers to questions put by members of the public. Health organisations such as the British Heart

Foundation, Parkinson’s UK, or Diabetes UK provide specialist information if you have a particular health issue.

WARNING - COVID SCAMS - Finally – beware of scams. Yes, criminals are taking advantage of the pandemic to try to steal your data by sending out false messages Remember, the vaccine is free so you never need to give your financial details. BPS may contact you by text, phone or letter but will only ask you for your date of birth., For more guidance see this information sheet.

VACCINATION FOR ALL The Patient Group is keen to reach out to the ethnic diverse community and would like to hear about your experiences. If you feel you can assist with spreading the word about the importance of vaccinations in your community, please contact us at and someone will respond to discuss ways you can help. We would like to draw patients’ attention to the British Islamic Medical Association recommendations concerning the safety of both vaccines, see Pfizer and Oxford AstraZeneca

CONTACT US AT patientgroup.balhamparksurgery@nhs.net