To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate? Should It Be a Question?

Recent legislation concerning coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination mandates have created a large divide amongst American citizens nationwide. The arguments for and against the vaccines resound from every media outlet . As a registered nurse I found myself reasoning with both sides of the debate. It was truly hard to trust the science behind a vaccine that was developed in such a short period of time. Even with my reservations, I recently chose to get the Pfizer vaccine after it was approved by the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration, 2021). I didn’t make the decision lightly. While I was waiting for the FDA to approve one of the vaccines before receiving it, I also received notice that my place of employment instituted a vaccine mandate. Thankfully, I had already made my decision to get the vaccine prior to the mandate. Unfortunately, many of my coworkers throughout the organization opted to leave instead of being forced to get the vaccine due to the mandate. The mass exodus has placed quite a burden on an already overworked staff.
There is no question about it, the coronavirus (COVID-19) devastated our world. Our diligent scientists feverishly continue to battle this opportunistic invader that is continuously evolving. Health agencies such as the CDC and the WHO aim to ensure that the public consensus is armed with the most up to date information regarding COVID-19. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). With all of the knowledge right at our fingertips, why aren't more people choosing to get the vaccine? It has been almost a year since the first COVID-19 vaccines were administered and even longer since the first clinical trials. The data collected contains proof of the efficacy of the vaccines. (University of Washington, 2021). Yet there are still those individuals that insist that the vaccine doesn't work because people are still contracting the virus (Palosky, 2021). Personally, as a registered nurse, I choose to educate those who are willing to listen and will pray for those that won’t. Who knows? It just may save a life.
Rantings from the mind of Katrice J. Miller, RN, Millersville University BSN/MSN student.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2021, November 11). CDC COVID Data Tracker. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days.
Palosky, C. (2021, August 4). Most unvaccinated adults don't believe the vaccines are very effective and see the vaccines as a greater health risk than COVID-19 itself. KFF. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/press-release/most-unvaccinated-adults-dont-believe-the-vaccines-are-very-effective-and-see-the-vaccines-as-a-greater-health-risk-than-covid-19-itself/.
United States Food and Drug Administration. (2021, August 23). FDA approves first COVID-19 vaccine. United States Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine.
University of Washington. (2021, September 28). Covid-19 vaccine efficacy summary. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Retrieved November 11, 2021, from http://www.healthdata.org/covid/covid-19-vaccine-efficacy-summary.