'Get the jab' plea from young Salopian who still has symptom seven months on
A young woman who caught Covid is urging others in her age group to get their jabs to protect their loved ones and get life back to normal.
Micayla Beaumont, 20, from Telford, caught the illness in January along with her brother and sister and says she still has some symptoms seven months on.
Although they self-isolated at home and tried to prevent passing it on to their mum, who has asthma, she caught it too.
Micayla is keen to encourage other young people to join her in getting both their vaccinations.
She said: "My sister caught Covid first, before my brother and I then developed symptoms.
"We were extremely worried about passing it on to our mum who is in the vulnerable category, so we all stayed in our bedrooms, only leaving to use the bathroom. Our mum even left our meals at the door to minimise contact with us."
Despite their precautions, Micayla's mum caught the virus and they isolated for a total of three weeks.
She added: “For me, the symptoms were pretty bad – it is nothing like a normal cold, which is a common misconception among some young people who think they won’t be affected too much.
"I had zero energy and constantly felt tired, which was made worse by the fact that I couldn’t leave my bedroom to get fresh air.
“I lost my sense of taste, which was really weird as I was eating purely for fuel rather than any enjoyment. I’ve also had a blocked nose since January, which I’m assuming is a lasting symptom.
“After having Covid myself – and seeing my family suffer too – there was never any question in my mind about getting the vaccine, doses one and two. I can’t wait for us all to get back to normal and getting both vaccine doses is a step in the right direction – and a step towards a nightclub, too!”
Lauren Tye, 23 and also from Telford, is also backing the ongoing jab campaign so that young people can get back into nightclubs. New rules coming into force later this year will mean revellers having to prove that they have had the jabs.
Lauren said: “It’s so important that we all understand that getting the vaccine isn’t just about protecting ourselves, it’s about shielding others too.
“For me, getting both jabs is my ticket to normality, whether that’s going on an isolation-free holiday or being able to meet friends and family with extra peace of mind that we’re all safer, so it’s vital that we all work together to get out of this.”
Health chiefs across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin have organised drop-in clinics for the week. They are: Pussycats Night Club, in Wellington, Shrewsbury Indoor Bowls Centre, in Sundorne Road; Woodside Pharmacy, in Park Lane, Telford; Teldoc, in Malinslee, Telford, and Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, in Gobowen, near Oswestry.
Even though the response to the vaccine is described as "extremely strong" by Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council's director of public health, she says the pandemic is "not over yet."
She said: “We’ve seen an extremely strong response to the vaccine among local young people and we’re incredibly proud of them for playing their part in helping the country return to normal.
“However, as we all know, it’s not over yet and we need to continue to do what we can to stop the spread of the virus. We know that young people in particular have been hugely affected by the restrictions that the pandemic has brought and I think we’d all agree they deserve a great night out or two!
From September, the Government has stated that it will be a requirement to have had two doses of the vaccine before entering nightclubs, making it the first time proof of vaccination is needed inside the UK.
Figures show that in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin NHS 88 per cent of adults from across the area have received at least one dose of the jab, making it one of the most vaccinated areas of the midlands.
Find out more about local drop-in clinic dates and times here.
