A Ripon woman who works in a critical care unit has become one of the first people in North Yorkshire to receive the covid vaccine — and has urged others to do the same when their time comes.
Physiotherapist Laura Terry’s job at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough brings her into daily contact with covid patients.
Having seen first hand the impact of the virus, she had little hesitation when the chance to be vaccinated emerged at the hospital on Sunday. She said:
“It was a no-brainer. The emotional impact of what I’ve seen at work has really affected me. I don’t usually bring my job home but a lot of things have stayed with me a long time.
“I’ve never seen so many people so sick. People are essentially dying alone because nobody is allowed in. The last time some see their families is on FaceTime.”
Ms Terry, who went to Ripon Grammar School and lives near Fountains Abbey, studied at Teesside University.
Her regular contact with covid patients made her eligible for the vaccine. It was over in minutes and she has had no side effects besides a sore arm the next day.
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“I’m a perfectly healthy person but I have a duty of care to my patients and colleagues, as well as my family and friends.
“Hopefully having the vaccine provides them with some reassurance that they are not going to get covid from me.”
She said it was frustrating to hear people who have never seen for themselves the impact of covid in “denial” about its impact.
“I’ve seen what it does to families. I’ve seen them in distress. If you can take that distress away from a family by having the vaccine then I would do that.”
