A small thread on vaccines and risk. Lots of sensible people are worried about the risk of harm from a vaccine, and that’s fine, there may be risks we don’t yet know about. But the valid comparison is not with zero risk. Doing nothing also carries risk... (1/n)

If you choose not to be vaccinated there is the risk of getting COVID, and we can be pretty confident with the existing trials that COVID is worse than the vaccine. Risk of death, long term organ damage and long-COVID symptoms. (2/n)

Getting COVID is pretty likely given the incidence in the UK. And even if you don’t get super sick yourself you might give it to friends and relatives who are higher risk than you. (3/n)

Then, there’s the economic damage caused by the pandemic. The way out of lockdown and all the economic damage being inflicted on the UK (and the world) is mass vaccination and herd immunity. (4/n)

I will be at the front of the queue when I’m offered a vaccine. If you have doubts, remember there is risk from NOT having the vaccine too, speak to sensible people and don’t base your decision on conspiracy theories. 5/5