Key points * AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine is safe and effective. * The blood clotting condition TTS is rare, occurring in 2-3 per 100,000 people following AZ vaccination. * Death has occurred in approx. 5% of those who had TTS: a one-in-a-million chance of dying as a result of vaccination. * COVID-19 kills approximately 3% (1 in 35) and causes long-term illness in 10-30% of those who contract it. * Young people are not exempt. * The delta variant can emerge anywhere, and vaccination is essential to complement testing, contact tracing and isolation and avoid future lockdowns.