Change Your World Week Winter 2022 (Archived)

According to research, the Covid-19 Vaccine is a shot that has a purpose of distributing antibodies of the Covid-19 Virus to the recipient. Today, the world is very different from what it used to be. With the spark of the Covid-19 Pandemic, a lot of changes were made to everyday life- masks, social distancing, and vaccinations. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and not know what to do to remain healthy. The Covid-19 Vaccine is the number one way for people to attempt to avoid contracting and spreading the virus. There are currently a few different variations of the Covid-19 Vaccine, (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen) so it is important for those who get vaccinated to choose the one that is right for them.

This vaccine is extremely important in order to help slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus and protect individuals who receive the vaccine. Similar to the Influenza vaccine, the Covid-19 vaccine cannot promise that one will never contract the virus, but it will prepare the human body with antibodies and slow the rate of transmission. If one is unable to receive the vaccine because of medical reasons, there are other tips that can be used to protect the body against Covid-19. Handwashing, wearing a mask, and practicing social distancing can be used to limit the exposure to the virus. 

The Covid-19 Vaccine should be mandated to all those who are eligible and medically able to receive it. This should be done to ensure the health and safety of the population. Those who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 are more likely to contract and spread the virus than those who are vaccinated. Research shows that mandating the vaccine could "control the pandemic and help restore normal social and economic like." (Mandating COVID-19 Vaccines) Health care facilities are a big risk for Covid-19 spreading because healthcare workers are working with the most fragile and immune compromised individuals. 

While there are many good reasons to be vaccinated, to protect yourself and those around you, what about those who are not vaccinated and do not plan to become vaccinated. Many people find themselves within a moral dilemma. People do not feel as if the Covid vaccine is the answer to ending the pandemic. Many individuals believe in autonomy, the right for individuals to govern their own body, and reject the idea of a government mandated vaccine. There are people who believe that the vaccine was not accurately assessed and feel uncomfortable that the vaccine has been developed so quickly. It is believed that if a process is shortened, it is likely that problems could be missed. The people who strongly refute government advice regarding the Covid vaccine are called “anti-vaccine” groups. These groups believe that mandating the vaccine is a “restriction of people’s liberty and right to choose” (Martin, S., & Vanderslott, S). Surprisingly, many people will not get vaccinated because they believe that Covid is a “hoax,” “not a big health threat,” and “no worse than contracting mild flu.” Anit-vaccine groups rather

“catch COVID-19 and build up a natural immunity” (Martin, S., & Vanderslott, S). In another article published by the Journal of Public Health, the authors shared their research results as to why individuals are against receiving a Covid vaccine. Again, the fear of safety and efficacy of the vaccine was a large concern, along with the rapid development. Another concern was politicization, citizens fear that the government may be pressuring the CDC and FDA to push the vaccine for political gain. This article emphasizes the “lack of trust and misinformation” that people experience when it comes to the Covid vaccine. (Lucia, V., Kelekar, A., & Afonso, N.)

To successfully make a change, we must change the way people view our topic. Vaccines are our bodies' protection from many diseases and a preemptive step at controlling new diseases that arise and protecting our world in the future. Together, we can use the scientific evidence, as well as stories and statistics from around the world to show people the effectiveness of vaccines and the hope it brings us in the future. Our group discovered that scientifically vaccines are a good line of defense in our bodies.

It is hard to hear that some of our friends and family have not yet protected themselves against this deadly virus with the help from the Covid-19 vaccination. To act in encouraging them and others to get the vaccine we would first lead them with knowledgeable statistics and information on how helpful this vaccine mandate really is to not only ourselves but to also the people around us. The vaccine mandate is put into place so that the Covid-19 pandemic will end. As stated on the CDC website “Getting the vaccine is a safe and dependable way to build immunity and the ingredients in the vaccine are ingredients in many foods that we consume.” If statistics do not change their thinking on the mandate, have them consult with their doctor since doctors are a trusting voice who have a significant impact on health decisions. The vaccination is not a terrible thing, there are many significant ways that the vaccine has impacted us today. As someone who has gotten the vaccination and the booster, I have felt safer and feel as though I can be around family without worry.

National Institutes of Health (US); Biological Sciences Curriculum Study. NIH Curriculum Supplement Series [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health (US); 2007. Understanding Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK20370 

Gostin, L., Salmon, D., & Larson, H. (2021). Mandating COVID-19 Vaccines. JAMA, 325(6), 532. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.26553

(2022). Retrieved 27 March 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html 

Martin, S., & Vanderslott, S. (2022). “Any idea how fast ‘It’s just a mask!’ can turn into ‘It’s just a vaccine!’”: From mask mandates to vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved 28 February 2022

Lucia, V., Kelekar, A., & Afonso, N. (2022). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among medical students. Retrieved 28 February 2022

“Myths and Facts about Covid-19 Vaccines.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html.