At first I was scared, hearing all the rumors and lies about the one thing that is supposed to solve most of the world’s problems. It was frightening and definitely alarming. 

Why is getting a vaccine so controversial?

To me, it seemed like people were just looking for something to be angry about. We have been waiting for a vaccine for so long. Now we finally have it, and people are criticizing anything they can think of. 

Whether it’s spreading lies about the government that the vaccine has a microchip in it or that it won’t help at all. People are just looking for something to hate on.

Yet every day more and more people are getting vaccinated and showing pride in their health. Many have posted pictures of their vax card showing proof they’re fully vaccinated. 

When I went to get my first shot, I will admit I was a little nervous. And not just because of my fear of needles. Hearing so many rumors can make it hard to know what’s real and what’s not. 

I didn’t know for certain until I got the shot that I would feel ok afterwards. 

But of course the fear had been built up far too high. And it really didn’t hurt at all. 

After getting the first dose, the pharmacist had me sit in a waiting room for 15 minutes just to make sure I had no symptoms. 

It was that easy.

Senior Hannah Bowie was able to get the vaccine in connection to her work, Safeway in Mount Airy. There they have a pharmacy that allows their employees to get their shots. 

“My work offered the vaccine to the employees first, and we made our appointments and it was very quick and easy,” said Bowie. “After the first shot I felt fine, other than a headache, but after the second shot the day after I didn’t feel well at all. I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t eat. All I did was sleep, but later that night I started to feel better and the next day I was back to normal.”

Twenty four hours of misery is worth it to save lives.

Ten years from now, I will have my own kids vaccinated because they deserve to live fear free in this world.  I know that I want my children to be safe: Children as young as 12 can get vaccinated.

Maryland laws state that to attend school, students have to have had the Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine, the polio vaccine, the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, the chickenpox vaccine, and the hepatitis B2 meningococcal vaccine. How is expecting people to get this vaccine any different?

And as someone who just lived through a year of no in-person school, I believe getting vaccinated is 100% important for returning to full in-person schooling. It’s definitely worth it if it means life can go back to normal.

It’s especially important for people to get the shot who are out and about throughout the day.

Flu vaccine vs. Covid vaccine

A lot of people don’t get the flu shot. Plenty of people think getting the flu is not necessary. Is that the same as not getting the covid vaccine?

Let’s discuss.

The CDC estimates that over the past decade around 36,000 people die each year from the flu.

Some believe they don’t have to get the covid vaccine if they normally don’t get the flu shot, but infectious disease experts have said that the logic in these worries is completely wrong.

Robert Jacobson, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician in the department of Community Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, talked about this with VeryWell.com:

“I would stress with everyone that when you are due to get the COVID-19 vaccine, you should get it. It’s a big mistake to think that you’re somehow immune and protected and you don’t need it,” said Jacobson in the interview.

People have even thought that the flu shot had actually GIVEN them the virus. Which is scientifically impossible. Yes, you might feel flu like symptoms, but you cannot get sick from the vaccine.

Flu vaccines and covid vaccines are definitely not the same. And getting vaccinated is still very important. Doctors know how to handle the flu, and it is constantly mutating. Experts predict the coronavirus will be the same. It’s quite likely we will all need booster shots in the future.

The truth is, Covid is still very new. We are still learning how to control this virus. And refusing to get vaccinated is only thickening the problem. It’s better to have more people participate in covid vaccination so that we can reach immunity.

How will this hurt us in the long run?

Years from now, people who had refused the vaccine will be wishing they hadn’t. They can’t stick with their argument if frequent hospital visits are a part of their lives. Thinking they outsmarted Covid-19 and refusing to be vaxxed, won’t stop them from seeing a doctor because they can’t breathe and have severe pneumonia in the future.

According to an article by Edward -Isaac Dovere  on The Atlantic: If they follow through with their claims, not only will anti-vaxxers be suffering the consequences in their health, but everyone will in terms of the economy. These vax refusers could cause a lot of complications for us. The more people who don’t get vaccinated, the higher chance that those people will get Covid in the future.

Each Covid case requires weeks of rehabilitation. And all of those expenses really pile up. Having covid is not cheap.