Covid vaccine: Is it compulsory, what are the side effects and will you have to have it every year - here's everything you need to know

Will it be compulsory?

We asked whether the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be made compulsory for the general public and for those working with vulnerable patients at hospitals and care homes.

The Government's Department of Health and Social Care said: "There are currently no plans in place to make the Covid-19 vaccine compulsory.

"The UK operates a system of informed consent for vaccinations."

Likewise, the NHS told us: "No, it won’t be compulsory for NHS staff."

The NHS added that staff at Lancashire's hospitals have already been told they do not have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 if they prefer not to.

It raises some concern for those patients with underlying health conditions during their stay at hospital, and those elderly and vulnerable residents in care homes who might be particularly vulnerable to Covid-19.

The NHS has also said that it might be next year before its frontline staff who wish to have the vaccine can do so, after the Government pushed NHS workers back down the priority list.

It follows a sudden rethink by the Government yesterday (Wednesday, December 4), with healthcare workers told that they will likely have to wait until next year before they can be vaccinated.

Some staff at Royal Preston Hospital and Blackpool Victoria Hospital had been expecting to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as soon as next Tuesday (December 15), after it was approved by the British regulator on Wednesday (December 2).

They have now been told it might be after Christmas before they can be vaccinated, with the NHS prioritising care home staff, and inpatients and outpatients aged over 80, before rolling it out to their own staff.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said the first doses of the vaccine will be administered to care home staff across the UK on Tuesday, but Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has declined to comment on when those working at Preston's care homes will be invited to RPH for the jab.

Mr Hopson said: "What we’re going to be doing is, hospitals are at the moment talking to care home providers to say how can we get your staff to come into those hospital hubs so we can inject them."

Concerns over delays, side effects, indemnity and annual jabs

There appears to be delays in the UK receiving its first shipments of the vaccine, with business secretary Alok Sharma saying that only "some" of the 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine have so far arrived in Britain.

This morning, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "Some are in the UK, but as we said the programme will start next week, and I think I’m confident that we will have all of those available from the start of the programme.

"We will expect more (Pfizer vaccine) by the end of the year but what we have always said is that the bulk of the vaccination programme will take place next year."

Mr Sharma added that people should feel "entirely confident" that the vaccine is safe.

"If it wasn’t it wouldn’t have been approved and wouldn’t have got the clearance from the MHRA," he said, adding the MHRA have been "absolutely meticulous" in the process.

What about side effects?

Despite reassurances that the vaccine is safe, the UK government has granted pharmaceutical giant Pfizer a legal indemnity protecting it from being sued as a result of any problems with the vaccine.

Ministers have also changed the law in recent weeks to give new protections to companies such as Pfizer, giving them immunity from being sued by patients in the event of any complications with the vaccine.

The Government has not provided information on what side-effects can be expected, but did confirm that NHS staff providing the vaccine, as well as manufacturers of the drug, are protected from legal action.

Indemnity from legal action

Instead, the Government says it will provide a one-off £120,000 payment to those who are permanently disabled or harmed as a result of the vaccination, which is covered by the Vaccine Damages Payments Act.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Ben Osborn, Pfizer’s UK managing director, refused to explain why the company needed an indemnity.

He said: “We're not actually disclosing any of the details around any of the aspects of that agreement and specifically around the liability clauses."

Will I have to have the vaccine every year, like the flu jab?

The Post also asked NHS England whether the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will need to be re-administered annually, like the flu jab.

But a spokesman for the NHS said: "I don't think the answer on that one is clear at this point", adding, "If immunity doesn’t last it may be necessary to have the vaccines administered annually, as we do for flu."

Are you worried about the vaccine? What would you like more clarity on? Share your concerns in our Facebook comments and we will put your questions to those in-the-know.

It is more important than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

For unlimited access to news and information online, you can subscribe here.