Anti-vaxxer mum encourages others to get Covid-19 vaccine after catching the virus twice

A mum-of-three who admits she was a 'complete anti-vaxxer' says she has changed her views after contracting Covid-19 twice.Saja Ali, 31, from Didsbury, south Manchester, was severely ill for a month due to the coronavirus in February last year.She had not had a jab at the time and admitted she had been wary because of what she had read.After recovering, Ms Ali got both her vaccines, then caught Covid again at Christmas time, now she is speaking out to raise awareness and encourage people who have not had a Covid-19 jab to get one.

The mum of three believes that because she had both her jabs when she caught Covid again in December, it prevented her from becoming very ill.

She said: "From my perspective, the vaccine has definitely worked."

Explaining how she felt the first time she got Covid, the mum said: "I had not been jabbed. I was proper against it back then."For me, it was all because it was new. It was a new vaccine and I was hearing a lot of conspiracy theories."At the time my husband was also really against it. I did not think twice about not having a jab. Then I got it Covid really, really bad."

Ms Ali said catching Covid so badly the first time changed her mind about getting the jab.

"It totally changed my mind. A week later my dad caught Covid and needed hospital treatment," she said."We were prepared for the worst with him. He was in hospital for 11 days and needed help."

The mum of three immediately got both jabs and is now waiting for a booster.

Like millions of others across the country, Saja tested positive just before Christmas and isolated.But, she said, the symptoms were nothing like they were the first time caught the virus.Saja said: "I felt a bit tired but nothing to stop me doing what I would normally do in a day. It was nothing like it was back in February."I don't want it to come across as being offensive, but I do not want people to take a chance."I believe the vaccine won't stop people from being poorly, but it will help prevent you from falling really ill and needing hospital treatment."