Greek doctor champions jab

A Greek doctor who was among the first frontline health workers to receive the coronavirus vaccination in the United Kingdom last week urged the public on Saturday to set aside fears of possible side effects.

“Whatever the side effects may be, they are nothing compared to being intubated and spending five days in intensive care,” Giorgos Sakellion, an anesthesiologist working in a Covid-19 ward in the east England country of Essex, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

“The relative risks of the jab are much smaller compared to getting sick,” he added.

The 54-year-old doctor was given the first dose of the vaccine on December 14, with the second dose planned on January 5.

“The only discomfort I felt, which is similar to when you get the flu jab, was a bit of pain around the injection area and the feeling of a heavy arm for a day afterwards,” Sakellion said.