Derry nurse who overcame vaccine reluctance on examining science and watching devastating COVID-19 surge urges people to get the jab

A Derry nurse who overcame her doubts about the COVID-19 vaccination after considering the evidence has urged people to get the jab to protect themselves and the vulnerable.
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Laura McClintock, a specialist palliative care nurse at Altnagelvin, received her second dose of the vaccine at the end of last month.

However, she admitted she had been initially reluctant to get inoculated.

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“I, like many other members of staff, I’m sure, had apprehensions whenever the COVID vaccine was initially being rolled out being a young female.

“I initially, you know, had concerns about taking it,” she admitted.

Ms. McClintock said two factors helped dispel these reservations. The first was the devastating impact of the third surge of the virus in Derry

“In the last surge obviously whenever cases were rising with patients, but also there was a big increase in the number of health care staff contracting COVID. It made me reconsider. So I did.”

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A second factor was her decision to source and read the trusted literature and evidence relating to the coronavirus vaccines.

“I considered all the evidence and I decided to get my vaccine to protect my patients who are all clinically vulnerable but also my loved ones at home,” said Ms. McClintock.

She said she believed it was important that everyone - including all health and social care staff- get vaccinated when their time comes.

“The research for the vaccine is excellent and all the emerging research is really positive as well.

“I’d really like to encourage and offer reassurance to any of my colleagues that haven’t had the vaccine yet to consider taking it to protect themselves and their families,” she appealed.

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