TO VACCINE OR NOT TO VACCINE IS THE QUESTION WE ARE FACED TO ANSWER EVERY DAY.
There’s a lot of information available to read on the internet about the vaccine (nicknamed vax) and the controversy around it. TV news and social media, radio, and advertisements have taken the vaccine campaign into overload. It’s exhausting. With my unvaccinated status, I am now faced with not being allowed access to certain countries, businesses, and social gatherings. But still, as of now, it’s a no for me, dog.
My Current Viewpoint of the Vax
Why do you ask?
It’s not because I feel like I shouldn’t do my part to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
It’s not because I want to continue to stay in the house and not feel comfortable going to concerts, clubs, and large gatherings without feeling like the whole place is filled with COVID air.
It’s not because I have known health conditions that are stopping me from feeling safe to get a vaccine.
When I take a look inward it’s because as a Black woman in America with a journalistic background, I do not trust the United States Government. I learned how they use sensationalized media to twist and bend information time and time again.
Living In America
Marginalized and underprivileged urban communities were hit hard with the aftereffects and ongoing conditions from the pandemic. In addition to that, black people have a rocky history with poor health care acknowledgment and vaccines in America. With the traumatic memories of the Tuskegee experiment in 1932, it’s understandable why the black community is hesitant.
The study was originally called the “Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male.” It involved 600 black men. The men had no idea they were being injected with syphilis. The researchers told the men they were being treated for “bad blood.” When penicillin for syphilis became available to the public, the men were not offered treatment. Although the world is opening up more and more as the days go on, we are still in a pandemic. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, more than 353,000 coronavirus deaths have been reported this year, topping the 352,000 recorded in 2020.
3 Tips If You’re Still On the Fence
We all want to do our part in helping to stop the ongoing spread of COVID-19. No matter if you get the vaccine, don’t get it, or are undecided, there’s a few things you should keep in mind when discussing the topic.
Educate Yourself
Education is key. Things can change quickly, continuous research is key. Don’t blindly take the word of your co-worker, family member, or friends as the law on vaccines. There’s nothing worse than the spreading of misinformation. Researching the topic could not only help you decide one way or the other. It will also help if someone tries to spread misinformation to you and others around you based upon their bias.
Sometimes It’s Better To Say Nothing At All
Even when you do educate yourself and decide to receive or not to receive the vaccine, unless someone asks you about your experience, you don’t HAVE to give your opinion when the topic comes up. Let’s not discuss vaccines involuntarily as we do with religion and politics. What may be for you may not be for everyone else and that’s okay.
Stay Safe Regardless of Your Status
No one is 100% immuned from getting COVID-19. No matter if you have gotten COVID-19 before, have the vax, or are one of the lucky ones who has not contracted the disease, you still have to take precautions:
- Wash your hands often and continue to wear your mask in large crowds
- Don’t go out of your way to be in close spaces with people you do not know
- Stay away from the public if you are feeling sick
- If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, get tested and stay home!
I can’t say if you should or you should not get the vax. I also can’t say I won’t get the vax myself. But what I do know is I will continue to wear my mask, keep up on my vitamins, stay away from large crowds, and keep my comments to myself when necessary.
Stay healthy ladies, and do whatever YOU feel is best for YOU.
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