As of December 2020, 39 percent of people in the United States say they would not or probably would not get the Covid vaccine, according to Pew Research Center. I got both doses of my vaccine, and here’s why.

When I’m not spending my time doing schoolwork, I work part time as a dining server at a Senior Living Facility in my hometown in Vermont. I visit resident’s rooms to take orders, deliver food and drinks, as well as clean around the kitchen. 

Since the pandemic started, work has been a struggle.

We went from having 50-60 residents eating in the dining room for every meal to everyone eating in their rooms. We assumed we would only be doing it for two weeks. We are now on month eleven. So, we realized quickly that we would be doing our jobs differently for a while.

When Pfizer announced the release of the Covid vaccine, I was overjoyed. I told everyone that I would be getting the vaccine as soon as possible. Although I received some pushback, I always knew that I would get it, if I were given the chance.

Then, people began to talk. Many people told me they wouldn’t get the vaccine if they were young “in case it causes fertility issues.” I was also warned of the side effects, people explaining how absolutely excruciating they are. Many urged me not to get the vaccine because we “don’t know what’s in it.”

The CDC has a list of the ingredients in both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Neither of these vaccines inject Covid into you. Instead, the Covid vaccines use DNA from the mRNA strands in order for your body to create immunity. The CDC explained: “They teach our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.” This is known as a “spike protein,” which is found on the surface of the virus that causes Covid-19. The CDC labels this protein as “harmless.”

The CDC also warns people getting the Pfizer vaccine to talk to the vaccination provider about the following conditions: if you have any allergies, have a fever, have a bleeding disorder or are on blood thinner, are immunocompromised or take a medicine that affects your immune system, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, are breastfeeding, or have already gotten another Covid vaccine. This does not say that someone should not get the vaccine under these circumstances, only that they should have a discussion with the vaccine provider if any of those ideas apply to them.

There are also some side effects that could come with the Pfizer vaccine, including: injection site pain, fatigue, headaches, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, injection site swelling or redness, nausea, feeling generally unwell, and swollen lymph nodes. There is also a chance for allergic reaction, but this can typically be prevented by the vaccine provider’s knowledge of your allergies, which you are supposed to disclose.

These are all possible side effects, but many people believe that they happen to every single person who gets the vaccine. The only side effect that I personally had was injection site pain, and slight fatigue. Although, the fatigue may have been from working a shift beginning at 6:30 a.m. that day. 

If you are able to get your vaccine and feel comfortable, please get it. According to an article titled, “How Much of the Population Will Need to Be Vaccinated Until the Pandemic is Over?” by Health Essentials, at least 50 to 80 percent of the country’s population will need to be vaccinated in order for herd immunity to work. The purpose of the vaccine is to “act as a barrier to slow and prevent the virus from continuing to spread.” Getting your vaccine does not mean you’re immune, but it does mean you’re doing your part to slow the spread of Covid-19, protecting yours and your friends and family’s lives.