Muslims in Hereford and Worcestershire encouraged to get Covid vaccine during Ramadan
A teacher at a mosque in Worcester "it won't invalidate your fast"
Muslims in Herefordshire and Worcestershire are being encouraged to get a coronavirus vaccine whilst observing Ramadan.
Senior Muslim figures working in the NHS have joined Islamic scholars stressing that Ramadan should not stop anyone from getting the NHS Covid vaccination.
There are concerns from some people it may interfere and invalidate their fasting.
Khalil Saiyed, a teacher at Worcester Central Mosque, said:
"The people that are born here in the UK, and Muslims like myself, are totally on board with taking the vaccine.
"The issue I would say is in the elder community who, because they're used to not having anything whilst fasting, are very worried about anything entering their body.
"They're worried that it's going to invalidate their fast".
Some NHS vaccination sites across England are extending their opening hours so that Muslims can receive the jab after they have eaten and make it easier for people to find a convenient slot.
The British Islamic Medical Association, an affiliate of the Muslim Council of Britain, has issued specific advice, recommending the vaccine and insisting it is okay to have during Ramadan as it is not nutritional, nor does it contain any animal or foetal products.
Khalil continued:
"The sharia councils have stated that the injections are completely permissible to take during Ramadan.
"What we're trying to do is encourage those in our outreach to talk to their family members who may be worried and provide them with the correct information to relay.
"We've got information with the exact process of the vaccination programme, what it contains, how it's going to enter the bloodstream and what it's going to do so hopefully this will provide them some reassurance".
Almost 27 million people have been vaccinated since the launch of the largest vaccination programme in the history of the NHS last December.