A woman has described how she had to learn how to talk again after she said she was left partially-paralysed due to the side effects of her Covid-19 vaccine.
Kerry Hurt, from Rotherham, suffered a stroke after undergoing surgery for a blood clot two weeks after having the AstraZeneca jab.
Mrs Hurt said it had “devastated” her life but still encouraged people to have the vaccine if they wanted it.
A government spokesperson said severe side effects were “extremely rare” and affected 1 in 100,000 people, external having first doses.
Mrs Hurt said she began to notice symptoms, starting with headaches, a week after having her first vaccine.
After being referred to A&E in Rotherham in April she was told she had a blood clot on her brain, leading to a stroke and two rounds of life-saving surgery.
“I’ve had to learn how to talk again, had to learn how to eat again and I’m currently learning how to walk again,” she said.
“It’s devastated my life. I can’t even get myself to the toilet anymore.”
Her husband, Pat, said her partial paralysis had “turned life upside down”, and had left them needing to fundraise for private physio appointments.
“She is one determined lady,” he said. “30 seconds changed someone’s life. It’s crucified us. Ruined us.”
The couple said they went for their vaccines in order to go on holiday to Turkey and have encouraged others to have a jab if they want it.
“We both did it for the right reasons, we’re not anti-vaccines by any means,” Mr Hurt said.
Blood clots from vaccines are estimated to occur with 1 in 100,000 people over the age of 40 or those with underlying medical conditions.
For people aged under 40, the risk increases to 1 in 50,000 people.