"No Covid Vaccine Wanted By 20% Of Uninoculated Sussex People"

According to surveys by health watchdogs throughout Sussex, slightly more than one in five of all people in the county who are eligible for an anti-coronavirus jab, but who haven't yet received it, are likely to refuse it, or have already declined one.

Out of the 5,955 people who answered a survey asking about viewpoints on the vaccine, an equal proportion of respondents who had not been vaccinated said they were either unlikely to accept a jab when it is offered, or definitely won't have one — totalling 14.6%.

A further 5.7% in that group had already received an offer, and declined it.

But overall, including people in Sussex who had received the vaccine, 93.2% of people responding to the survey would encourage family and friends to accept their own jabs.

Looking in more detail at the reasons for declining to receive the anti-coronavirus vaccine, around two-thirds of people choosing to avoid it said their worries centred on perceived safety concerns, their own worries about any effects on long-term health, and wanting to "maintain their right whether to receive it".

However, 57.3% of the people in this group also said they would prefer to delay vaccinations, to see if any issues with the treatment arose.

The NHS and scientists qualified in healthcare say all vaccines being delivered have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Any Covid-19 vaccine that's approved must go through all the clinical trials and safety checks other licensed medicines go through, and the MHRA follows international standards of safety.

Many millions of people have received the vaccines, with reports of side effects, such as allergic reactions or clotting problems, remaining very rare.

But, answering the Healthwatch surveys, one person replied:

"The restrictions on my freedom make me more resistant.

"I would like to see an open debate between a scientist in favour, and one against.

"Current censorship makes me not want to trust official narrative."

As for vaccine delivery in Sussex, the Healthwatch groups said feedback suggested respondents believed the process had been efficient and accessible between December and March.

However, some people with specific needs experienced challenges in accessing vaccinations.

Some anxieties were identified amongst those vaccinated, most commonly related to post-jab side-effects being more severe than anticipated, the long-term effects of the vaccine and receiving dates for their second vaccination in a timely fashion.

Healthwatch groups in Sussex have recommended that clear information continues to be provided on these themes, before, during and after vaccinations.

Other issues people commented on concerned the information they received at all stages of the vaccination process, the complexities of vaccination bookings and how to get responses to any questions or queries.

Some variations were identified in how and when information was provided, with differences causing confusion for some.

In East Sussex, the Healthwatch group's report made 13 recommendations targeted at reinforcing existing good practice, identifying areas for improvement and requesting ongoing monitoring of the vaccination process.

All of this insight is being shared with health and care organisations and decision-makers to inform the ongoing vaccination programme in Sussex.

The groups said they will continue to monitor the vaccination process and seek feedback from the public.