A reporter has shared his experience of being vaccinated against coronavirus in a bid to encourage readers to do the same.

Harry Leach, who works for the Redditch, Bromsgrove and Droitwich Standards, has written a first-person piece about getting the Pfizer jab.

Harry, 28, has a history of respiratory problems but says he still felt guilty about “jumping the queue” due to his age.

He decided to book a slot after being told vaccines are going to waste every day due to their limited shelf-life.

In his piece, Harry wrote: “I welcomed the small talk [from a nurse], expecting the needle to be in my arm for several long seconds, but it was in and out painlessly in no time at all.

“When he rolled back to his desk and told me it was ‘all done’, I was somewhat surprised.

“He told me to sit in the waiting area for 15 minutes, in case of any adverse reactions, which I did, and to take paracetamol if I felt feverish at home.

“As I walked out the centre I couldn’t believe how brilliant the whole process had been.”

Harry went on to thank NHS key workers in the piece.

He wrote: “As I’m writing this I’m wondering what the message is I want to convey.

“I’ve realised it’s pretty simple: when your time comes to be vaccinated, do not fear it.

“There is so much misinformation out there, but this is the only way that we can protect our loved ones from the virus and get our lives back on track.”

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