Three Reasons to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine or Booster Shot
Vaccine hesitancy is not new. When the smallpox vaccine was discovered, many were hesitant to receive one. Some worried about side effects, while others mistrusted the agencies that told them about the vaccine's effectiveness.
However, by the 1960s, vaccines were employed against diseases like smallpox, diphtheria, polio, measles, and mumps. Soon, those diseases were eradicated. Yet, vaccine hesitancy increased when a scientifically proven inaccurate paper was published in 1998. As a result of the article, vaccine hesitancy surged.
COVID-19 Vaccines
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the medical community didn’t have vaccines to protect or prevent people from the illness. Globally, researchers pursued ideas to find a safe, effective vaccine. The first two vaccines the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorizations to were those developed by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a web resource page to provide updated information about vaccines and boosters. While some people embraced the vaccines, others were unsure about them.
Those who remained unsure wondered about the safety of the vaccines or if there were severe side effects after receiving a shot. Despite numerous studies finding that the vaccines are safe and effective, some continued to be hesitant about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Danielle Ofri, an internist at Bellevue Hospital and professor at New York University, explains, “People have seen reports about the side effects of vaccines. The COVID-19 vaccine studies are carried out in an environment of unprecedented scrutiny. It seems impossible to imagine a large-scale hiding of the results.”
In addition to the research as well as the continued monitoring and updating of COVID-19 vaccines, there are other reasons to reconsider hesitancy.
The Holiday Season
The next few months include significant holidays. You may host, attend, or travel to various get-togethers during this time. You may not know who carries the COVID-19 virus’s variants among the gatherings. If you are unprotected, your chance of getting COVID-19 increases, and almost 97% of unvaccinated adults are more likely to die from the virus.
Health Protection
Getting sick isn’t fun. If you have pre-existing conditions, becoming ill can lead to severe side effects like
- Hospitalization
- Require intensive care
- Need a ventilator
- Death
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Several pre-existing conditions increase your risk of severe side effects caused by COVID-19. Some of the conditions include
- Cancer
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Lung disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Neurological disorders
- Diabetes
- Disabilities – spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, congenital disabilities, etc.
Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots decreases the risk of severe side effects or death.
Updated Vaccine and Booster Shots
When the first COVID-19 vaccines became available, they targeted the original strain. Over time, the original strain of the virus mutated, creating variants. Within those variants are subvariants that are less responsive to the initial vaccines. Researchers continue to study and develop COVID-19 vaccines and boosters that decrease or prevent potential side effects.
Updated vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech were approved for emergency use by the FDA this month. The newest vaccines are monovalent; they protect against one variant, XBB.1.5. The updated vaccines provide improved protection against COVID-19’s latest variants.
While getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot isn't required, you may consider why getting one is essential. Viruses like COVID-19 mutate. As they mutate, older versions of vaccines and boosters become less protective. Updated vaccines and boosters are one way to help protect yourself and others from getting ill or having severe side effects.
It’s Okay to Question
Vaccine hesitancy may stem from several different places, whether you aren’t sure about the safety or effectiveness of the vaccines or if they will cause serious side effects after receiving them. It’s okay to ask questions of your medical provider. You can also seek answers from verified sites like the FDA or CDC’s websites.
Christina Sisti, DPS, MPH, MS, is a bioethicist and health care policy advocate. She works to create awareness and improve healthcare policy for those with long-term health issues.