By Kayelee Hudson
Senior, English Major, IUPUI
Throughout the past year of living through a pandemic, I have been able to think about all the things I am grateful for in my life. One of those things was my ability to get the COVID-19 vaccine early. As a hospital gift shop worker, I was considered “essential” when the safety restrictions were first put in place. Thus, I worked during the beginning shutdowns and got to see firsthand how the large numbers of COVID-19 patients impacted hospitals. Nurses and doctors came in the gift shop daily, to purchase mid-day snacks or other essentials. Their dedication inspired me every day as I heard them talk about the long hours they were putting in to help all the incoming patients. Their hard work was partly what helped me make my decision to get the vaccine.
“COVID-19 changed the way everyone treats patients, family, and even friends,” said Laura, an RN who’s worked at Methodist Hospital for more than 30 years. She feels getting vaccinated is one step closer to normalcy. But choosing to get the vaccine is a personal decision and one where some have reservations.
When I was notified that there were appointments available for me to schedule my first dose, like many others, I thought about it. I thought about it for about two days in fact, considering which version of the vaccine I would be getting and if I felt comfortable with getting either. At the time, there was only the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines available. While both versions lead to similar results, they have some differences. The Moderna vaccine is given in two doses, roughly 28 days apart. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is given in two doses as well, but at about 21 days apart. Both vaccines are between 94% and 95% effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which approved both for use in December. Since then, a third vaccine was approved for use, this time by Johnson & Johnson.
When I made my appointment and arrived to receive my first dose, I was told I’d be getting the Pfizer vaccine, which I was happy about because its efficacy rate was just a bit higher than Moderna’s. After getting my shot, I waited the required 15 minutes in the foyer to make sure I didn’t have a reaction. As I sat and waited, I watched several elderly people who had all come together to get the vaccine. They clapped as each of their friends exited the auditorium and entered the foyer. It was a surreal, sweet, human moment—watching those friends support one another in getting the vaccine to fight COVID-19.
Before getting the vaccine, some of my coworkers expressed reservations about getting the vaccine, saying things like, “I don’t want COVID-19 to be put into my body,” and, “We don’t even know what’s in the vaccine,” and, “I’m just gonna wait and see if you are still kicking after getting it, then I’ll think about it.” I would be lying if I said these statements didn’t upset me. There is a lot of information on what is in each version of the vaccine and we can all also talk to trusted doctors and other experts. Many of us are students on a college campus so have access to all kinds of professors, scientists, and medical personnel to talk to.
As Laura said, “[trusting the CDC] is something to consider. You have to trust others that you know and what you witness around you. Since almost everything is political nowadays, you have to take everything into consideration when making your own choices.”
I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on January 3, 2021, and my second dose on January 24. I chose to get the vaccine for my health, but also for those around me, and so I can travel to Kentucky to see my family and grandparents without endangering them. Choosing to get the vaccine is choosing to care about those you know and love, and those you merely pass in the grocery store isle. As of the end of March, according to coronavirus.in.gov, about 771,091 Hoosiers were fully vaccinated. If we all make informed decisions to get the vaccine, we will be back to a more normal life before we know it.