As you know, I welcome constituents’ views and opinions on a wide variety of issues. Debate is healthy, and even where I’m not able to agree with a point of view, I don’t dismiss it. I do weigh and consider constituents’ views very carefully in reaching decisions on government policy and local issues in replying to my correspondence.
However, from today I will no longer allow social media comments on my pages/profiles from those opposed to vaccinations. The sharing of misinformation - much of it garnered from conspiracy theorist videos and dubious online sources of information - is hugely harmful to furthering something I believe all right-thinking people support: getting as many people as possible, particularly those who come into contact with the clinically vulnerable and at risk, vaccinated.
All our vaccines have been through the same MHRA trials and approvals process as every other medicine available in the UK. They are safe, and they are effective. And, as with every other medicine, there is a minuscule risk of serious side effects, in the region of a one in a million chance something will go wrong. That is an order of risk we routinely accept in many other areas of our lives. In this case, the risk of suffering serious injury to health by *not* having a Covid vaccine far outweighs any perceived risk about possible side effects.
So, please, if you haven’t had a jab already: get one. It keeps you safe, and it helps keep everyone else safe. And, please, do make sure your information comes from reliable and reputable sources before sharing it.
Duncan Baker
Member of Parliament for North Norfolk
