ANTI-VACCINATION comments by Belfast boxer Paddy Barnes on social media have drawn sharp criticism from the director of communications at the Department of Health and leading doctors.
The Olympic double medallist posted a Twitter message saying he would not be getting the vaccine or promote it following the death of BBC presenter Lisa Shaw (44) from a rare blood clot.
A coroner ruled earlier this week the English woman died as a result of complications she developed after receiving the AstraZeneca jab.
Mr Barnes said her death was "devastating", adding: "...to think @SouthernHSCT want me to promote the vaccine. No thanks, rare or not I will not be held accountable for saying its safe and encouraging anyone. Get it if you must."
But David Gordon, who holds the senior communications post in the north's health service and has led the department's Covid PR response, urged Mr Barnes to read new research which shows that the risk of clots is nine times higher in people infected with the virus compared with those who have been vaccinated.
A former BBC journalist, Mr Gordon posted: "Paddy - Please read this. Covid is the greater threat, including blood clots & strokes. This is about balancing the small risk from side effects against the much greater benefits of vital protection."
Earlier this month, the 34-year-old north Belfast boxer admitted he has not been jabbed due to concerns that a friend took a heart attack after receiving his.
Dr Damian Fogarty, a consultant based at Belfast City Hospital specialising in kidney disease, also hit out.
"Paddy, stick to boxing and let those of us in medicine & science advise. Risk of clotting is 9 times higher if you get Covid compared with the vaccine related clot risk. We knew that broadly but study out yesterday further proof," the medic responded on Twitter.
Mr Barnes' comments come during a period of rocketing infection rates, hospital admissions and deaths in the north - while vaccination uptake rates remain lower than Britain and the Republic.
The majority of Covid patients in ICU are either partially vaccinated or not at all.
Despite a major 'Big jab' drive last weekend to encourage more people to come forward for the first dose, 14 per cent of the population remain unvaccinated, with uptake worst among younger people.
Just over 30 per cent of 18-29 year-olds are not jabbed.
Dr Andrew Kunzmann, an epidemiologist at Queen's University Belfast, also highlighted the benefits of vaccination by responding to Mr Barnes:
"The risks of blood clots and more serious consequences are far higher following infection than vaccination. We need to be honest about risks of both, but the evidence supports getting vaccinated as the lower risk option."
