Why has the Covid-19 vaccine had such high uptake in the UK?

Despite fears over anti-vaxx conspiracies, public confidence has remained strong. But can the government take credit for the lack of hesitancy?

By Sarah Manavis

People queue outside the mass NHS Covid-19 vaccine centre in Birmingham on January 11, 2021. (Photo By Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

In mid-March, after the EU regulator reported concerns about rare blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam went on television to dispel fears.

“All medicines have side effects and all medicines have benefits,” he said. “That’s the whole point, that you have to look at both sides and say: ‘How big are the benefits in relation to the risks?’” He then picked up a packet of paracetamol and read out the potential side effects, including mouth sores, jaundice and bruising.