Covid: Vaccine refuser regrets turning down jab after catching virus

Abderrahmane Fadil became seriously ill after contracting coronavirus in June 2021, months after declining a vaccine

A Covid-19 vaccine refuser "stared death in the eyes" as he lay gasping for breath in hospital after catching the virus.

Abderrahmane Fadil, 60, was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary earlier this month struggling to breathe.

The father of two said declining his vaccination invite in February was "the biggest mistake" of his life.

He has thanked NHS staff for saving his life and urged others to get vaccinated.

"I will never forget when the paramedics were taking me down the stairs and my kids were crying and looking at me," Mr Fadil said.

Recalling the moment he last saw sons Rayan, nine, and Aryan, seven, before going into hospital, he said: "One of the saddest scenes ever I've witnessed. I said: 'I'm all right, daddy will be all right'.

"I was taken straight for oxygen treatment."

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"I rang 999 because I couldn't catch my breath. I was contemplating death. That's the nearest I came to death. I was staring at it in the eyes," he said.

Abderrahmane Fadil has two sons, Rayan, nine and Aryan, seven

Mr Fadil spent nine days in hospital after he became ill two weeks ago, and expects to be recovering for many weeks to come.

He turned down a coronavirus vaccine when it was first offered to the over-60s back in February.

"I was a bit reluctant and just thought I'll hold my horses and maybe get it later. I never really believed I would get Covid or it would make me so ill. I know differently now," he said.

Respiratory consultant Tanveer Khalid, part of the team responsible for Mr Fadil's care, said he had been "very lucky" to survive.

"The majority of very sick Covid patients we have on our wards are here because they have refused the vaccine," he said.

Mr Fadil said he owed his life to the staff who looked after him and allowed him to see his children again, adding: "You feel very privileged that you're still here."

Across Bradford, about 70% of adults have had at least one jab, which is about 312,000 people. In England, more than 84% of adults have been vaccinated.

There is currently a push to encourage more people, especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds, to come forward and get their jabs.

More than 1,000 people a week are getting their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine