Riyad Karim, Assistant Director Community Engagement and Vaccine Equity, NHSE London Region and Co-chair of the London Bangladeshi Health Partnership said:

“We know that COVID-19 is still causing hospitalisations and severe illness particularly among those most at risk, that is people over 75 and people with a weakened immune system.

A weakened immune system makes it difficult for your body to fight infection. Causes for a weakened immune system include:

• treatments including chemotherapy and radiotherapy
• Type 1 Diabetes
• medications such as steroids
• blood cancer
• organ or bone marrow transplant

COVID-19 vaccines have been tested on tens of thousands of men and women from different ethnic backgrounds, and of all age groups, and is continuously monitored for safety.

The COVID-19 vaccine offered by the NHS this Spring do NOT contain any animal products, including pork and egg.

As they are not live vaccines, they cannot harm you when your immunity is reduced.

Protection against COVID-19 fades over time so it’s important to top up protection.

So please, remind family members to book a Spring COVID-19 Vaccination before 29 June 2024, online nhs.uk/get-vaccine or call 119 for free, where a translator is available.”