Better days are ahead if you get the jab

The Leader of Havering Council is calling for residents to ignore conspiracy theories and harmful misinformation and get a jab for a better future.

This is why Havering Council has launched a new campaign to encourage residents to back the Covid 19 vaccine programme and to get their jabs when contacted.

The Better Days Are Ahead campaign aims to raise more awareness of the vaccine and to help local people to understand why it is important for them to take it.

Working with the local hospital and GPs, the Council is encouraging residents to continue to do their bit to help bring down the infection rate in the borough.

Over the coming weeks, there will be a series of events and information available to help answer concerns and questions about the vaccine. They include a public Zoom meeting organised by the Council with local health professionals on Thursday, 28 January, from 4pm.

The campaign will look at who the vaccine is for, its safety, side effects and concerns around visiting the centres, among other issues.

The new campaign is part of the Council’s Doing My Bit initiative to get residents to play their part in fighting the disease by sticking to the government guidelines.

Thousands of people across the borough have already been vaccinated in a bid to help in the fight against Covid 19.

Those eligible include:

• people over 80 (anyone over 80 who has not had their first vaccine should contact their GP)
• frontline health and social care workers
• older residents in care homes and their carers; and
• everyone over 70 and clinically extremely vulnerable people

The government has made two rigorously tested vaccines available - at Raphael House / Victoria Hospital, Pettits Lane, Romford, and Hornchurch Library, as well as at the nearest mass vaccination hub at Excel in East London - giving residents easy access to the vaccines.

Councillor Damian White, Leader of Havering Council, said:

“I am very concerned that we continue to hear conspiracy theories and misinformation about the vaccine, including some councillors helping to spread this misinformation. This is harmful and could lead to more deaths.

“We all desperately want to stop the spread of Covid 19 in our community and the only way to do that is by taking your jab when offered and by sticking to the government guidelines.

“In particular, research has shown that some communities are not coming forward – this is especially prevalent in the black and Asian communities of London.

“The vaccine isn’t an immediate fix, but we’re heading in the right direction.

"Whether or not you’ve had the vaccine, we still want everyone to continue to do their bit by continuing to wear a face covering, keeping their distance, washing their hands, and by staying at home to protect both themselves, their loved ones and others.”

Councillor White continued:

“I am pleased that most councillors feel the same and this is why it was so important to debate it in our Council meeting.

"I am hopeful that we are starting to turn a corner. When I see and hear that people are getting their jabs, it brings joy to us and I am sure that better days are ahead.”

The priority groups as identified by the Government will be invited for the vaccine by letter, giving details of the steps to take to book their appointments for both doses.

The vaccine is free of charge, so residents will not be asked to pay.

For further information visit Doing My Bit