Should you get the Covid-19 vaccine?
By AMELIA MCAVOY
March 17, 2021
Since the coronavirus began to spread throughout the country almost a year ago, Americans have been hoping for a vaccine that would return their lives to normal. However, now that the vaccine has become a reality with three vaccines having been approved and currently being administered, many different opinions and beliefs have begun circulating surrounding it. The question of whether or not to get the vaccine has become a hot topic of discussion across the country, and even within the walls of Bonny Eagle.
For many athletes, like sophomore, Brody Ernst, this question is a no-brainer. He is willing to take the vaccine as soon as it’s available to him, because “maybe the MPA (Maine Principals Association) would let [him] play sports again.” He would also just like to “get back to life without masks.” This sentiment of returning to life before Covid-19 is shared by many. Delaney Hesler, a junior, is willing and ready to be vaccinated, she says “if getting the vaccines means being able to get life back to normal.”
Although the world will not immediately return to normal, scientists are hoping that getting the vaccine out to as many people as possible will bring us closer to some semblance of normalcy. However, this plan requires a significant portion of the population to be vaccinated, which could be derailed by the amount of pushback towards the vaccine. Delaney and Brody, however, do not have any significant concerns about getting the vaccine. According to Brody, “the vaccine was made by qualified people, at least I hope,” he says, “so I trust the vaccine as I would like other vaccines.”
Delaney agrees, saying, “I personally trust what the companies are putting out there. I don’t think that they would give something to the public if it was extremely dangerous.”
While many people at Bonny Eagle would agree with them, there are those who have their concerns as well. Maine Public Radio says that nationally, only 58% of Americans are willing to get the vaccine. The others are worried that the development of the vaccine was rushed, that it won’t be safe, or they don’t trust it in general. A senior, Becca Marshall shares these concerns, saying “I feel like this vaccine was rushed and there’s too many unknowns about it.”
Becca doesn’t fully trust the information that the government has released about the vaccine and would not be comfortable with receiving a vaccination right now. Instead, she believes that “we should’ve been in lockdown way before the cases got this high. People should really only be doing things that are necessary. If they cut back on their entertainment, like restaurants, parties, etc., the chances of spreading would be cut down by a lot.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Covid-19 vaccines are completely safe and between 70% (Johnson and Johnson) and 95% (Pfizer and Moderna) effective. They have been through and passed all of the necessary testing. Also, millions of Americans so far have received the vaccine, the majority with none to mild side effects. Unlike other vaccines, such as the flu vaccine, the Covid-19 vaccine does not contain any traces of the virus, so there is no way to contract the virus from the vaccination. However, despite all of this, the CDC also warns that other Covid-19 precautions cannot be stopped after receiving the vaccine. You can still contract Covid-19 or one of its variants, even after being vaccinated, though it is extremely unlikely that you would have a severe case and end up hospitalized. So, whether you choose to be vaccinated or not, it is important that everyone continues to social distance and wear a mask in order to fight against the virus.
March 17, 2021
Since the coronavirus began to spread throughout the country almost a year ago, Americans have been hoping for a vaccine that would return their lives to normal. However, now that the vaccine has become a reality with three vaccines having been approved and currently being administered, many different opinions and beliefs have begun circulating surrounding it. The question of whether or not to get the vaccine has become a hot topic of discussion across the country, and even within the walls of Bonny Eagle.
For many athletes, like sophomore, Brody Ernst, this question is a no-brainer. He is willing to take the vaccine as soon as it’s available to him, because “maybe the MPA (Maine Principals Association) would let [him] play sports again.” He would also just like to “get back to life without masks.” This sentiment of returning to life before Covid-19 is shared by many. Delaney Hesler, a junior, is willing and ready to be vaccinated, she says “if getting the vaccines means being able to get life back to normal.”
Although the world will not immediately return to normal, scientists are hoping that getting the vaccine out to as many people as possible will bring us closer to some semblance of normalcy. However, this plan requires a significant portion of the population to be vaccinated, which could be derailed by the amount of pushback towards the vaccine. Delaney and Brody, however, do not have any significant concerns about getting the vaccine. According to Brody, “the vaccine was made by qualified people, at least I hope,” he says, “so I trust the vaccine as I would like other vaccines.”
Delaney agrees, saying, “I personally trust what the companies are putting out there. I don’t think that they would give something to the public if it was extremely dangerous.”
While many people at Bonny Eagle would agree with them, there are those who have their concerns as well. Maine Public Radio says that nationally, only 58% of Americans are willing to get the vaccine. The others are worried that the development of the vaccine was rushed, that it won’t be safe, or they don’t trust it in general. A senior, Becca Marshall shares these concerns, saying “I feel like this vaccine was rushed and there’s too many unknowns about it.”
Becca doesn’t fully trust the information that the government has released about the vaccine and would not be comfortable with receiving a vaccination right now. Instead, she believes that “we should’ve been in lockdown way before the cases got this high. People should really only be doing things that are necessary. If they cut back on their entertainment, like restaurants, parties, etc., the chances of spreading would be cut down by a lot.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Covid-19 vaccines are completely safe and between 70% (Johnson and Johnson) and 95% (Pfizer and Moderna) effective. They have been through and passed all of the necessary testing. Also, millions of Americans so far have received the vaccine, the majority with none to mild side effects. Unlike other vaccines, such as the flu vaccine, the Covid-19 vaccine does not contain any traces of the virus, so there is no way to contract the virus from the vaccination. However, despite all of this, the CDC also warns that other Covid-19 precautions cannot be stopped after receiving the vaccine. You can still contract Covid-19 or one of its variants, even after being vaccinated, though it is extremely unlikely that you would have a severe case and end up hospitalized. So, whether you choose to be vaccinated or not, it is important that everyone continues to social distance and wear a mask in order to fight against the virus.