Vaccines; why young people will listen more to experts and role models – The Yorkshire Post says

Yet, while the death-rates are, thankfully, not on the same scale as those registered in the pandemic’s first and second waves, the number of hospital admissions still offers great cause for concern.

This is reflected by confirmation that more than a fifth of those being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are aged between 18 and 34 years, a sobering statistic as Amanda Pritchard begins work as the new NHS chief executive.

And the fact that so many of these individuals have, for whatever reason, declined the chance to have a Covid vaccine shows the importance of finding new ways to persuade younger people to have their jabs.

Perhaps the announcement on Wednesday that all 16 and 17-year-olds can now be vaccinated was more significant than it first appeared at the time.

It was made by Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, the much respected deputy chief medical officer, in Downing Street on a day when Sajid Javid, the Health and Social Care Secretary, was visiting a vaccine centre in Bournemouth.

An indication that sceptics are more likely to be convinced to take the responsible course of action by public servants rather than politicians, there’s a case to be made for asking other role models to advocate the importance of vaccines. Where better to start than ask Britain’s team of all-conquering Olympians who were all double jabbed before being able to compete – and triumph – in Japan?

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