A support worker who believed he would not get Covid says he feared for his life when he was hospitalised with the virus.

Wanstead man Quincy Dwamena spoke of his experience as the latest figures show people aged 18 to 34 make up more than a fifth of Covid hospital admissions - four times higher than the peak last winter.

The 31-year-old, who put off getting the vaccine and spent two weeks in hospital with Covid, said: “I’m a healthy, young guy, I went to the gym often and have no underlying health concerns.

“I put off getting the vaccine because I thought the way I was living my life would mean there would be little to no chance of me catching the virus, or it would have little effect.

“But I ended up being hospitalised and thought I was going to die.”

Mr Dwamena spoke in a new video encouraging people to get vaccinated, which features several people who experienced serious symptoms or developed long Covid as well as the doctors and frontline staff who treated them.

In the video, Mr Dwamena said: "My lungs, out of nowhere, just kind of stopped.

"I struggled to breathe lying down, so obviously sitting upright I couldn't breathe.

"My energy levels dropped, so walking any kind of distance I'd get automatically tired - I was then attached to a ventilator machine."

The latest figures show a rise in unvaccinated young adults admitted to hospital with Covid.

Vaccine uptake among the under-30 group is the lowest in London, where the interviews for the video were filmed.

Barking and Dagenham Post: A screenshot of Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust chief medical officer Magda Smith from the video, which warns of the dangers of Covid for people who are not vaccinated.A screenshot of Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust chief medical officer Magda Smith from the video, which warns of the dangers of Covid for people who are not vaccinated. (Image: NHS)

Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust chief medical officer Magda Smith said: "It's affecting people of any age, young and old.

"What we are seeing is that if you have not had your vaccine, you are more likely to end up in hospital."

More than 360,000 people aged 16 and 17 around the country have already been vaccinated, with letters and texts sent to the remainder last week inviting them to book an appointment or visit a walk-in centre.

All at-risk people aged 12 to 15 have also been invited for a vaccination.

Mr Dwamena added: “My advice is to get the vaccine: don’t put yourself and others at risk.

“I wish I’d got mine as soon as it was offered."