Covid: West Yorkshire teenager urges young people to get vaccine after falling ill with virus

A teenager from West Yorkshire who put off having her coronavirus vaccination is urging 16 and 17-year-olds to get the jab after she caught Covid-19.

Amelie Dissanayaka said that she regretted not getting the vaccination sooner after falling ill and passing the disease to the rest of her family.

She is now recovering from Covid but has said that the long-term effect has affected her schoolwork.

"I was very tired and fatigued, I didn't want to get out of bed really and now after school, I couldn't really do any schoolwork after because I'd just be exhausted," she said.

"I didn't get the vaccine at first because I thought there's a small chance that as a young person I would get it and be badly affected by it, but I just would say get the vaccine so you don't have to risk it."

She said that she will be getting her jab as soon as doctors say she is allowed and has urged other teenagers not to wait.

Amelie added that people should consider getting the jab as a preventative measure or to be able to do stuff such as travelling abroad if they think that they are not at risk from coronavirus.

Dr Yvette Oade, North East and Yorkshire's regional clinical lead for the vaccine programme added her voice to Amelie's message by urging people to book their top-up Covid vaccination as soon as invited to ensure they get extra protection ahead of winter.

Dr Oade said: "The National Booking Service is open to book booster jabs and I would encourage all those in eligible cohorts to book in as soon as they are invited to ensure they protect themselves, their family and friends as we head into winter."

Almost three-quarters of a million young people in England - around 60% - have already received their vaccine thanks to the NHS "Grab a Jab" campaign, where the NHS online site finder helps people find their nearest walk-in vaccine clinic.