PEOPLE who are observing Ramadan are being urged not to put off being vaccinated against Covid-19.

The vaccination has no nutritional value and does not contain any animal products.

This means that anyone who is fasting for Ramadan will not be breaking their fast by having the vaccine.

Dr Waheed Abassi, GP in Stoke-on-Trent and a Clinical Director for NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Clinical Commissioning Groups said that there was nothing the Quran to stop people having the jab.

“I wish you a safe and healthy Ramadan,” said Dr Abassi.

“We have a duty to preserve life and getting vaccinated is the most effective way to prevent illness and loss of life from Covid-19.

“To reassure the Muslim community, the British Islamic Medical Association has reviewed the analysis of Islamic scholars and confirmed that having the vaccine does not invalidate the fast.

“If you are still unsure whether you should have a vaccine during the holy month please speak to your local Imam for guidance.”

There is one mosque in south Shropshire that is located in Craven Arms.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset and this means more than 12 hours without eating or drinking. However, there are exclusions that are allowed for health reasons.

The number of Muslims in south Shropshire is small but in other parts of the country there has been concern at the level of uptake of the coronavirus vaccines, amongst some people in Black Asian Minority Ethnic communities, where death rates have been higher than average, for various reasons such as higher levels of diabetes