Why a pregnant South Shields student is urging others to take up the Covid vaccine after receiving her second jab

Brontë Bates, from South Shields, is urging others to take up their opportunity to get a Covid-19 vaccine after she decided that it was the right thing for her and her unborn baby.

Ahead of entering the final year of her Media Culture and Communication degree at the University of Sunderland, Brontë has has just received her second Pfizer vaccine at her local GP surgery after she did her own research and found little risk factors linked with pregnant women who had the vaccine.

The 29-year-old said: “I found out I was pregnant five weeks before I was eligible for my vaccine, and some people told me I shouldn’t get it.

“After looking online, I found there had been hardly any risk factors linked with pregnant women who had the vaccine.

“After Brazil had a huge wave of infections, I watched a story about pregnant mothers who had lost their lives, and one father was completely distraught because his wife wasn’t able to get a vaccine.

“I feel lucky and privileged to able to get the vaccine and relieved I’ll be able to provide my baby with some immunity when the little one is born.

“The only worries I had come from some of the scary stories in the media and misinformation on the internet.

"Thankfully, I had researched the case studies done across the world, and I knew that I was more likely to get a blood clot on something as common as the contraceptive pill then I was from a vaccine.

“It was a very positive experience, and I went straight to work after both doses. The only side effects I had were a sore arm which I took paracetamol for.”

Brontë has a large family and knows first-hand about the impact that Covid-19 can have on all generations.

She added: “My whole family contracted Covid. Thankfully most had the first or second vaccine.

“My grandma has been battling cancer for years now and it was terrifying not being able to see or hug her until lockdown restrictions got lifted.

"Working throughout the pandemic in retail and hospitality has also certainly been scary, I appreciate the work of all our frontline staff so much."

Support our journalism and subscribe to this website to enjoy unlimited access to news, sport, retro, daily puzzles and more online.

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Click ‘Subscribe’ in the menu to find out more and sign up.