I have a very ‘on the fence’ opinion when it comes to the Covid-19 vaccine. Have I got mine? Yes, I've had my first vaccine and am eagerly awaiting my second one. I believe for myself It was a very important and completely necessary thing to do.

I am asthmatic therefore am considered vulnerable but I also have vulnerable friends and family, as people who are sociable and spend a lot of time together, I believe that it was important for my friends and family to also have all gotten the vaccine, I am lucky that it worked that way.

We have to work to protect the people we care about as opposed to just caring about ourselves. Simply, if your friends and family are vulnerable and you wish to still see them, it is your duty to protect them during this difficult and strange time unlike anything we’ve known by taking the vaccine.

I didn’t take my own decision lightly, I along with some of my friends had a wave of panic whilst waiting my 15 minutes.

Suddenly I found myself asking ‘what have they just put into me?’, now, several weeks on, I feel so happy I have made that first step to coming out of this thing and quickly but safely making my way towards humanity.

Research has shown us that the vaccine is effective, it won’t make us immune, but it will lower our chances of hospitalization and death.

I personally do not understand why somebody wouldn’t jump at the chance, but I am absolutely willing to listen and discuss their reasons why.

However, I think it is very wrong to bully people who don’t want it and do not have family or friends that need them to get it.

I believe in the vaccine and all it does for us, I believe it is important but that does not mean that somebody is not allowed to think differently.

We live in a democracy and I think it is unfair to pick and choose when that is the case. If it is not compulsory, which it is not, then it means we have to let people have their opinion and trust that they are wise enough to make their own decisions.

So, how do I think we go about this? I think we need to make all of the research available and more accessible.

Most of it is full with medical jargon and I think that puts people on edge. We have to trust that our scientists and government have our best interests at heart, but I will be the first to admit that it would be nice for us to really understand what it is and how it works in order to make a proper informed decision.

With regards to young people, it is imperative we stop putting our own opinions onto them.

They are so much smarter than we give them credit for and it is so important that something as big as this is left for them to decide. Again, if we make the facts clear and accessible, they will make the decision that they see right for themselves.

Whilst this isn’t clear and precise or for or against either side. This is my opinion on the Covid vaccine.

I know what is right for myself. I cannot say what is correct for somebody else.

And that is the real problem here, we too often think that we need to fight with each other to get our point across. Living in a democracy means that we are all allowed to decide completely for ourselves.

As long as the vaccine is not compulsory, I think we should be less open to fighting and more open to listening and discussing different views and opinions.