A former ballroom dancer from Kent has passionately urged for more reasonable compensation for those who have endured negative effects as a result of being vaccinated against Covid-19.
After being diagnosed with a rare heart condition, Maxwell Harrison – who used to compete in international dance competitions on behalf of Great Britain – was forced to abandon his passion.
During an ITV News interview, the 22-year-old made it clear that he is not opposed to vaccinations but rather wishes for people who have experienced medical side effects from them to be taken care of. This fraction of individuals is indeed small; however, their health should still matter substantially and receive proper attention.
After obtaining his second Covid-19 vaccination in September 2021, the law student from Maidstone began to report heart palpitations. He had previously been traveling and performing around the world with his sibling prior to this event.
Maxwell Harrison said:
According to the Department of Health, all vaccines have been thoroughly tested and meet rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness and quality.
Recently, ITV News uncovered medical letters that revealed Maxwell had acquired “vaccine-induced perimyocarditis,” which is a blend of two conditions listed as rare adverse reactions on Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty vaccine patient information leaflets.
That report states that myocarditis and pericarditis, two types of inflammation of the heart muscle or lining outside the heart respectively, could potentially affect up to one in ten thousand vaccine recipients.
Professor Martin Michaelis, an expert in molecular medicine at the University of Kent, insists that such side effects are “very, very rare”.
Prof Michaelis further stated:
“The potential drawbacks of taking the vaccine are fairly uncommon and must be weighed against its benefits. While some people may experience adverse effects, the overall risk one would take on by not having it is considerably greater.”
“As we brace ourselves against the likelihood of renewed exposure to Covid-19 in the coming months, our best chance at minimizing its harmful effects on society is to get vaccinated.”
Maxwell Harrison is advocating for a revision of the preexisting laws to allow more people in his circumstances access to government reimbursement. The Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979, he believes, has an excessively strict restriction that needs adjusting. To make this change happen, Maxwell Harrison has initiated a petition calling for its abolition.
Maxwell asserted that he was not attempting to downplay the vaccine, but only to bring attention to cases of legitimate adverse reactions. He suggested that by acknowledging these rare circumstances, we can have more constructive discourse and care for those affected in a proper manner.
Despite his medical issues, the former dance star still holds out hope that with proper medication, he can soon regain good health and be able to take back to the ballroom.
You can make a significant contribution to our understanding of the safety of this medicine by submitting any side effects you may experience via the Yellow Card Scheme. By doing so, your valuable input will help us to better protect public health in the future.
