Why I Decided to Get the Covid Vaccine

Written By:  Preston A. Thompson

Before you start reading, I want to make this very clear.  By no means do I intend to use this blog to persuade anyone into getting the Covid vaccine.  I firmly believe your decision is your decision, and you must decide what makes you feel comfortable.  This is my story about why I got the Covid Vaccine.  It was not an easy decision. I remember when the Covid Vaccine was first introduced in early 2021 I thought to myself, “Nope! Not me!” There was not enough time between when Covid-19 first made headline in the US to that moment to introduce the official vaccination without mention of trial results. Did Pfizer and Moderna follow the procedure, or did they rush their vaccines just to get the world back to some form of normalcy?  It takes time to introduce new medicine to the market, and this felt like it was made overnight.  Is there enough research about the long-term effects to the human body should I get the vaccine? Can I get Covid sick from the vaccine?

               If that was not enough the people around me had their doubts, too.  We often said we will refuse the vaccine during our watercooler discussions.  The threat of possibly losing your livelihood just because you refused to get the vaccine loomed over our heads.  What really bothered me was every time I logged into Facebook (or any other social media app), watched the news, or any outlet that talked about Covid-19 the main target was getting the vaccine.  I could not escape it.  Doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, scientist, vets, etc. talked about how we should trust the vaccine on TV.  “It’s your shot” and “Let’s end Covid.  Get the vaccine” were the everyday slogans circulating all over.  I became annoyed with them.  I began thinking this was a staged attempt to get us with trust issues in medicine to be test studies for the vaccine.  I would go to Facebook and Instagram to see friends whose group became eligible for the vaccine post photos of their vaccination cards (or arm getting the shot) with captions talking about how they trusted science and got the vaccine, and now it is your turn to end Covid by getting the shot.  These posts even came from friends who barely post on social media.  It all felt rehearsed and coerced.

               Around Spring 2021 I had a gradual change of heart.  My wife began to talk positively about the vaccine and how the benefits seem to outweigh the doubts.  As the number of vaccinated increased by the day I started to feel more confident about getting the vaccine.  Many of the vaccinated reported they had no major symptoms during the first dosage while the second dosage of Pfizer and Moderna caused half of the vaccinated to feel a low-grade fever and slight fatigue that lasted for a day.  In accordance to CDC guidelines, state and local governments were allowing the vaccinated to gather with other vaccinated without wearing a mask.  Laws that mandated mask requirements in public places were easing up.  Then, the people around me began signing up to get their first dosage.

               Now the ball was in my court.  What should I do?  Should I get vaccinated or not?  Decisions, decisions.  On one hand I get the flu shot yearly with my wife and never caught the flu, not even a slight body temperature raise.  On the other hand, there just wasn’t even research and time to fully trust the vaccine.  I would hate to watch TV twenty years from now, and an infomercial asks “In 2021, have you or anyone you know taken the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine?  You may be entitled to a lawsuit!”

               After weighing out my options I decided to get the vaccine.  A nearby clinic had plenty of Pfizer Covid vaccines available, and slots were available for days.  So, why did I change my mind and sign up to get the covid vaccine?  My answer was I do not work from home, and work consists of different households all gathered under one facility.  I travel from home to work to home to repeat the cycle until the weekend.  I was thankful throughout the pandemic I never exposed my wife to the actual virus despite being the one to go out into a socially distanced society daily while wearing a mask.  I always took the necessary precautions every time I step outside our house or allowed package carriers to drop packages or groceries to our door even though those precautions are not guarantees to prevent the spread of Covid.  I would be devasted if my wife got Covid, and it turns out I was the direct cause of it.  Maybe the vaccine will work to reduce the spread or maybe it will be a waste of our time as the virus picks us apart one by one.  Either way, I took my chances and got the first dosage of the Pfizer vaccine on the first day of Spring.  I wanted a peace of mind that I was protecting my body against this virus.

               The line was long at the clinic on the day of my scheduled vaccine appointment, but the shot was quick and easy.  I followed the standard procedure of waiting 15 minutes after the shot to ensure I had no allergic reaction.  No symptoms were noticed, so I went home.  I monitored my health while practicing social distance for the next two weeks.  No symptoms were noticed as I went to get the second dosage of the Pfizer vaccine two weeks later.  After this dosage I had only a tiny raise from the site where the shot was administered.  I practiced social distancing again while monitoring my health for the next two weeks.  I am pleased to say during that time I had no symptoms of Covid.  No headache, low-grade fever, body aches, fatigue, etc.  I was now fully vaccinated, but still practiced all precautions to minimize becoming a spreader.  The daily numbers were decreasing as the vaccinated increased but being fully vaccinated made me feel as if I was doing my part.  Sure, there is no guarantee I am immune from the actual Covid vaccine, but I hope if I was exposed to it my body was prepared to fight it off with no spreading to my family and community.

               Why did I decide to get the Covid vaccine?  I wanted to do my part in protecting my family and giving my immune system a chance to fight off the vaccine should I become exposed.  There is no actual cure for viruses, but I saw getting the vaccine like practicing before a game.  Practice does not guarantee you will win the actual game, but practice prepares you for it.  It is an inactive form of the virus made by science which means should you get exposed your immune system may do its part or nothing.  Since science is controlled by humans it has its flaws, but I am training my immune system to recognize the actual Covid vaccine and respond to hopefully decrease my chances of getting the worst symptoms.

               Why did I decide to get the Covid vaccine?  I started to feel more confident about the positive results than the possible negative.  If this vaccine is the cure, then I wanted to be a part of the solution.

               Why did I decide to get the Covid vaccine?  I wanted to have a peace of mind about being vaccinated.  I thought to myself we have been receiving vaccines since infants that protected us against virus we do not stress much about today.  What makes the Covid vaccine any different?

               This is not a post to promote getting the vaccine, but if you are still undecided, I encourage you to weigh your options.  Just when we thought this pandemic was coming to an end, the delta variant began to cause Covid cases to rise.  Now, the FDA wants to push boosters to anyone who is fully vaccinated.  Unfortunately, the unvaccinated are getting hit with worst symptoms from the Delta variant according to reports.  It appears this Covid virus will continue to mutate with time claiming more victims as the days progress.  We are approaching two years since the first Covid case was reported, I would love to see this pandemic come to an end so we can all gather like we did before 2020. 

This decision was not easy, but I did it for my wife, my family, my coworkers, my community, my life.  When this virus has finally affected its last host and the CDC says we can all go back to life before 2020, I will be here to celebrate just like the rest of you.  I want my normal life back, too, that includes no mask, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings, but I must also do my part in slowing the spread of Covid by following CDC, state, local, and my own household guidelines.  As I close this blog, I want each of you reading to remember to take care of yourself and the people around you.