NHS worker’s message to the South Asian community
An NHS worker has joined the drive to encourage members of the city’s diverse communities to come forward and have their vaccine when invited to do so after seeing his mum get protected.
Ali Aslam who works for the NHS, has issued the plea after his mum, Safoora received her vaccination at the end of January at her local vaccination clinic run by GPs in Leeds. Mrs Aslam, who is 65, is registered as clinically extremely vulnerable so is in one of the groups currently being invited for vaccinations.
Ali Aslam said:
“I am extremely relieved and happy that my mum has received her vaccination for Covid-19. She is clinically extremely vulnerable and has been shielding since the start of the pandemic so it’s great to know she should soon be protected from the effects of the virus. We would like to give our thanks to Team Leeds for working so hard to make this happen.
“I would like to encourage all of our Leeds residents who have been invited to receive the vaccine to take up that offer, especially fellow residents from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
“I know it is natural to have questions, or to want further information before you make your decision, so if you do have any questions, please feel free to ask and seek answers from trusted clinical staff when you are invited in. You can absolutely trust the NHS to offer you a vaccine that has been tested and has gone through rigorous trials.”
Dr Jason Broch, GP and Clinical Chair for NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group said:
“It is great to see Ali and his mum encouraging others to get their Covid-19 vaccination.
“We know that some people from BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities have been more hesitant about taking up their invite for a vaccination and there has been a lot of misinformation on the vaccines, which has understandably caused concerns.
“However, we want to assure everybody that the vaccines are safe. They’ve been through the same safety process that all vaccines have to go through and this has shown they are safe and highly effective at protecting people from all ethnic backgrounds against the effects of Covid-19.
“If you have any concerns, please make sure you use trusted information sources. Our website has all the latest information on the vaccines, including information from local community and faith leaders or you can visit the NHS or government websites for more information.”
Trusted resources and places to get more information include:
- NHS Leeds CCG website (www.leedsccg.nhs.uk/covid-vaccine which has a wealth of resources for local communities about the vaccine, this includes stories and blogs from community leaders and faith leaders, information which people can trust and share
- Health professionals in Leeds are running a Facebook Live session about the Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday 20 February, from 2-3pm on the NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Facebook page www.facebook.com/nhsleeds which is an opportunity for people learn more about the Covid-19 vaccine and they can also submit their questions to the panel in advance or on the day of the live session.
- The government www.gov.uk/coronavirus and NHS website www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
The NHS is reminding people that it is important to continue to follow guidelines even after having the vaccine. Remember hands, face, space – regular hand washing, wearing a face covering where asked to do so and keeping a safe distance from others.
This post is based on a press release issued by NHS Leeds
Photo: Shutterstock
