Covid vaccine: Young people at serious Covid risk - health boss

"Because I'm younger I'll be able to fight it off, but I feel for the elderly."

Mackenzie Itzstein got the Covid vaccine to protect his grandparents - at 22, he believed he was low risk.

But even teenagers are being hospitalised with "serious Covid", Swansea Bay's public health director has said.

Keith Reid called on more sports clubs and celebrities to back a campaign to encourage people to get the vaccine.

Mackenzie was living with his grandparents when they all contracted Covid.

Speaking to BBC Wales alongside other young people at the Bulldogs Boxing and Community Centre in Port Talbot, he said: "I was in the family home with my Nana and Grampa and they had it too.

"I was more concerned for them rather than me," he said, believing younger people were relatively safe from the virus.

Mackenzie Itzstein said he was more concerned for his grandparents' health than his own

This is a common myth public health boss Mr Reid is keen to dispel. He said his own health board has recently seen cases of young people being admitted to hospital.

"Young people do get serious Covid," he said.

"We've seen 45 young people in hospital in the last three months - by young people, I mean below the age of 15, treated for Covid.

"And we've also seen a lot of cases where young people have taken Covid home and shared it with other household members, some of whom have been quite vulnerable."

Seren Jenkins, 22, rejected any notion that young people might feel "invincible" - that Covid wouldn't affect them so severely.

"I'm sure there are loads of younger people that are like that, but I know loads of older people who've been exactly the same - everyone's probably done so many things wrong, I don't think it's fair to put it on one age group."

When lockdown was announced she said she was "pretty careful".

"I didn't see my family for about 14 weeks."

Seren Jenkins said she also knows older people who think they won't be badly affected by Covid

She has had Covid, has been vaccinated and says she routinely wears masks in shops and on public transport. But lockdown has had an unexpected effect.

"I think it's had a really positive influence on me - I tend to not really say no to anything any more."

Neath Port Talbot recently had the highest rate of Covid cases across the UK, as well as the highest case rate among the under-25s in Wales.

Vaccine take-up rates amongst the under-30s are also the lowest - albeit they were last to be offered the jab.

But not all sports clubs have backed a campaign to encourage people to get the Covid vaccine, according to Mr Reid.

Of the region's two top sports clubs, he said, only the Ospreys had backed the drive.

"One avidly supported our vaccine campaign, another one haven't," he said.

But Swansea City FC said it was committed to helping the local vaccination programme and the stadium had been provided free of charge as a Covid testing facility.

The club said its players and staff were spoken to regularly by its medical team about safety and vaccinations, adding that "we respect them with the decisions that they undertake for both themselves and their families."

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Mr Reid said seeing role models having the jab gave fans "a lot of assurance that vaccines are safe and effective".

"We've seen the contrast between two really high level sporting teams within Swansea Bay region - one who avidly supported our vaccine campaign and have been very prominent in the community and another one who haven't," he said.

"And that's due to attitudes amongst players themselves."

It is understood fewer than half the players at most Premier League and English Football League clubs have been vaccinated.

"Undoubtedly people from other walks of life, and especially from sporting walks of life, can have great influence on the health behaviour of our communities and it's to their credit when they stand up and do that," said Mr Reid.

Nudges like these can be all the more important when considering the health of a local authority area like Neath Port Talbot.

"We saw the arrival of a new highly transmissible and infectious version of coronavirus at the same time that people were starting to move around more freely and mix more freely and I think that's what's driven up the rates," said Mr Reid.

"With schools going back when Delta (variant) was already pretty prevalent in the region - that's just added an extra element to the mix and we've seen rates in school kids in particular drive those headline figures."

Shane Miller, 18, who works part time at Bulldogs Boxing Club in Port Talbot, said it was an easy decision to be vaccinated, as he works with people with disabilities at the club and needed to be cautious.

Shane Miller works part time at Bulldogs Boxing Club

"I know a lot of people were very relaxed about Covid," he said. "I know two people who don't want the vaccine - they don't like needles or they just don't believe in Covid.

"I try and explain it's safer to have it, just in case, but it's the type of people who just don't listen."

He added transport can be an issue for those travelling to vaccination centres. "They could do them in local chemists - if it was more local than that I think more people would have a better chance of getting there."

It is a point acknowledged by Keith Reid.

"It's much more difficult if you're working or you've got childcare responsibilities to get along to a vaccination centre," he said.

"We've seen a slower rise in coverage in those age groups, partly maybe because of the difficulty of getting along to vaccination - and higher scepticism I think, about what's the benefit of getting vaccinated."

Professional boxer Connor McIntosh saw his first child born during lockdown

Professional boxer Connor McIntosh, 26, said he and his girlfriend were expecting their first child during lockdown - Bronagh May is now a year old.

"I didn't even leave the house - we weren't going to take any risks," said the construction health and safety consultant.

"I've had my first jab and I'll have my second in the next couple of weeks - I'll have to have it done before my first professional fight anyway, for safety measures."

But did he have any reservations?

"Not really - it's a tough one, it's come out really quick - a lot of people don't know exactly what's in them - you get a lot of people on Facebook thinking they're proper scientists and they know exactly what's in them - but if it's going to make things go back to normal quicker, then I think yeah, everyone should have them.

"I think if everyone plays ball and just helps each other out, hopefully we can all get through it and things will go back to normal sooner rather than later."

Rhodri Williams said he was anxious about going to watch his first football match after lockdown ended

Rhodri Williams' parents both work in the NHS - one for the ambulance service, one as a nurse.

"The only time I would go out of the house was to go for a run with my brother, once a day," said the 22-year-old, who has had both his jabs.

"The people that are coming out and saying that the vaccine could kill them, or the government are putting stuff in it - they're the people that would go to Mexico and have their jabs no problem, but they're not getting anything out of this so they don't see the point in getting it.

"Some people don't want it because they don't know what's in it - but they don't know what's in their cigarettes or their vapes either.

"I've got a season ticket down the Swans - the first game back against Sheffield United was a bit of a shock, because I hadn't been around that many people since Covid.

"It wasn't that I was scared, it was more that I had a bit of anxiety about going with all these people, but when you're in the game it's brilliant how they do it - where I was sitting there was plenty of spacing and I didn't feel at all at risk there."

So does he agree that sports stars and celebrities have a role here?

"I've seen a lot of people, especially on TikTok and Instagram - celebrities filming their experiences of going to get a vaccine and putting it in a positive light - and maybe that's going to inspire a couple of the younger people to go and get their vaccine."

Swansea City says it "placed great importance on its role during the pandemic"

In a statement, Swansea City said it "is committed to assisting with the regional vaccination programme in the Swansea Bay area.

"The club places great emphasis on its role within the community and we are already engaging with the local health board about ways in which we can help in the future.

"Our players and staff receive regular dialogue from the club's medical team regarding public safety and vaccinations, and we respect them with the decisions that they undertake for both themselves and their families.

"Swansea City placed great importance on its role during the pandemic, such as opening its doors to the NHS for healthcare training purposes and providing our North Car Park as a Covid testing facility. Both of these ran for over a year without any charge being made by the club, while other venues rented out their facilities at a cost.

"The club would also like to place on record its sincere thanks to all those who have, and continue to, play an active and important role in the vaccination programme."