Sam Allardyce: I feel much safer after getting Covid vaccine

The Dudley-born manager took over as Baggies head coach in December with the Premier League recording its highest number of positive coronavirus tests just a few weeks later.

At 66 years old, Allardyce admitted he'd been left concerned for both his health and the health of his wife following the spike.

But after receiving his jab almost a fortnight ago, he now feels a lot safer.

“I had the Covid jab with my wife two weeks ago on Monday," Allardyce said.

"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, would she suffer?

“I couldn't have known how badly it would affect her so I was absolutely – for the want of a better word – crapping myself about it.

“I was very concerned about us. 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."

The internet – and social media in particular – is awash with Covid-conspiracy theorists telling people not to get vaccinated.

But Allardyce believes it's vital everyone gets their jab once given an appointment.

"Do not turn the vaccination down whatever you do," he added.

"All you are getting is the same as the flu jab, for me, which is a little bit of discomfort in your arm when you’ve had the jab.

“Maybe other people have a 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.

"We'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 be living in for the next year or two if we had not created this vaccine."