Vegans and vegetarians may have questions about what’s inside the Covid-19 vaccines.

After all, there are some medicines – and indeed other things you wouldn’t expect – that contain animal products.

Some vaccines, for example, contain ingredients like shark squalene, egg, milk, or gelatin. Others may use similar substances in manufacturing, but not in the vaccine itself.

There are other ethical considerations at play, too, such as the requirement for new medicines to undergo animal testing.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, here’s what need to know about the UK’s approved Covid-19 jabs.

Can vegetarians and vegans have the Covid vaccine?

All three of the jabs currently offered in the UK do not contain any animal products, according to the NHS.

These are the Oxford AstraZenca, Pfizer, and Moderna vaccines.

If you want to explore ingredients further, you can review the Government’s patient information documents for Oxford AstraZeneca, Pfizer BioNTech, and Moderna, respectively.

Therefore, on ingredients basis alone, both vegetarians and vegans can have the Covid-19 vaccine.

The NHS website states that these vaccines are suitable for all faiths, too.

Are Covid vaccines tested on animals?

The issue some vegans may have with the vaccine-related to medical testing on animals.

All of the Covid-19 vaccines have involved testing on animals – because it’s the law.

It is currently a legal requirement for animal testing to take place with vaccines – before further testing on humans, and eventual approval for use in the population, can occur.

PETA UK, an animal rights charity, published a blog on this ethical dilemma in January this year.

It opines: ‘The goal of being vegan and advocating for animal rights should always be to bring about positive change for animals.

‘As long as tests on animals are a legal requirement, refusing to take a medicine on ethical grounds will not help animals who have already been used in tests or spare any the same fate in the future.’

The piece also argues that by following the advice of healthcare professionals – you are keeping yourself healthy to continue being an advocate for animals, and to protest against future lab testing.

The Vegan Society shared a similar view in a blog post on its own website in December, writing: ‘The definition of veganism recognises that it is not always possible or practicable for vegans to avoid participating in animal use, which is particularly relevant to medical situations.

‘As there is currently a legal requirement that all vaccines are tested on animals, at this point in time it is impossible to have a vaccine that has been created without animal use.

‘We would like to make it clear that The Vegan Society encourages vegans to look after their health and that of others, in order to continue to be effective advocates for veganism and other animals.’

Those who feel ethically conflicted about vaccines for this reason could consider campaigning against future medical testing.

There are countless animal charities and vegan groups in the UK, such as those mentioned above – as well as others like Animal Free Research UK, Animal Aid and RSPCA.

For further reading, Pfizer and AstraZeneca have both shared their policies on animal research on their websites.

Are vegans more susceptible to Covid?

Interestingly, a recent study suggests that the opposite may be true.

A study published in the British Medical Journal’s Nutrition, Prevention and Health journal looked at the effects of a vegan diet on the severity of Covid-19.

The researchers looked at healthcare workers from the UK, as well as five other countries.

The results, published in June 2021, found that workers following a plant-based diet were 73% less likely to have a ‘severe’ form of the disease than those who ate white or red meat.

But remember: this is just one study – so don’t assume that plant-based living is a one-stop-shop to avoid getting seriously ill with Covid-19.

In the study’s own abstract, it clearly states that this is a very new research topic for scientists.

It reads: ‘Several studies have hypothesised that dietary habits may play an important role in Covid-19 infection, severity of symptoms, and duration of illness.

‘However, no previous studies have investigated the association between dietary patterns and Covid-19 [until this one].’

Also keep in mind that we have yet to come across any evidence that suggests a vegan or plant-based diet makes you less likely to catch Covid-19 in the first place.

That said, it is nice to know that plant-based eating could be having a positive effect on your health – but it’s essential to continue following NHS guidance.

As of August 6, the NHS advice for stopping the spread of Covid-19 is to:

• Get vaccinated
• Meet people outside and keep indoor venues well-ventilated
• Limit the number of people you meet up with
• Wear a face mask indoors or in crowded places
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser regularly.

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