West Brom boss Sam Allardyce has expressed his relief at receiving the Covid-19 vaccine after admitting he was “terrified” of contracting the virus.
The 66-year-old former England manager was given his jab earlier this month after admitting his concerns of catching Covid and passing it on to his wife Lynne.
“I had the Covid jab with my wife, two weeks ago on Monday,” Allardyce said ahead of Albion’s visit from Premier League relegation rivals Brighton.
“I feel very safe – or much safer now, not just for me but for my wife.
“In all honesty I was terrified that if I got Covid, how bad would I get it? More importantly if I passed it on to my wife and that caused her some of the problems people had suffered.
“I wouldn’t have known how badly it would affect her, so I was absolutely – for the want of a better word – almost crapping myself about it.
“I was very concerned about us – and me particularly – being as safe as possible while getting back in amongst these young men and trying to help them out, which is obviously what I love doing.
“But since we’ve had the jab I feel safer, my wife feels safer, and it’s better for me to work under these restrictions now because of how safe I feel.”
Allardyce has been told that he will receive his second dose of the vaccine within 12 weeks of the first.
But he says he is still tested twice a week, as he was before he received the vaccine, like every other West Brom staff member.
“Apparently I can still have it and pass it on, but I wouldn’t have it to the level which would put me in hospital,” Allardyce said.
“I believe that’s the facts as best I can understand them and I’m not too confused, as a lot of people are.
“In all fairness, since our re-evaluation of our protocols we’ve only had – touch wood – one person test positive for Covid over a five-to-six-week period.”
Allardyce had voiced support for a “circuit break” in the Premier League at the end of December as coronavirus cases surged.
But he is now optimistic about the future, saying: “I’ve had a wonderful opportunity gifted to us because we’ve created a vaccine which is so strong against this virus in such a short space of time
“We cannot imagine the world of misery we would still be living in for the next year or two if we had not created this vaccine ahead of most countries in the world.
“So from that point of view, I give the Government and all the scientists 3,000 per cent applause.
“I would tell people do not turn the vaccination down, whatever you do. All you are getting is the same as the flu jab, for me, which is a little bit of discomfort in your left arm when you’ve had the jab.
“Maybe other people have a bit bigger reaction, but that’s the same as the flu jab. When you have a flu jab other people react differently, just like this Covid jab.
“So get out and get it and we’ll all be able to have a much more normal life, more quickly than we currently can.”
