Yes, I’m Getting the Shot

With the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine, I have been inundated with questions like – what do you think about the vaccine, and are you getting the shot? I guess this is to be expected because those who know me, know that I have been very vocal about the injustices that African Americans have faced in healthcare for like... FOREVER. 

And when I answered, yes, I'm getting the shot, I got the response of, really???

So, let me explain why I decided to get the vaccine. 

The number one reason is - I prayed for a vaccine. It's as simple as this - I'm a preacher, and preachers pray. I asked God to either stop the spread miraculously or let someone Black discover a vaccine. You do know that God works through scientists to bring about healing, right? Well, a vaccine was discovered – not one but two. 

Secondly - Black communities have been infected and are dying at a disproportionate rate across the country. I know several people who have tested positive. Some suffered only minor symptoms and made a full recovery, but others had to be hospitalized. And while they have all been released from the hospital, most of them are far from being back to their usual selves. I am grateful that no one I know personally has died from the coronavirus. 

The third and most important reason is the research. Yes, I am elated that the vaccine was developed by an African American researcher, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett. Yeah, another answered prayer. But more importantly than that, her research was supported by evidence of a 94 to 95% efficacy and was shown to be safe over an extended period of time with minor side effects. Listening to Dr. Corbett speak on a panel exposing the falseness of myths about the vaccine changing DNA and the potential of actually being infected with the virus gave me much more confidence than chancing the possibility of getting COVID with only minor symptoms. 

These three reasons, coupled with the fact that I work in a hospital, deal with large numbers of people, and don't want to be sick, made perfect sense to me that I needed to get the vaccine.

It has been 16 days since I got the shot, and other than some minor soreness at the sight of the needle, I feel fine. I still wear my mask, socially distance myself from others, and wash my hands frequently, awaiting my next dose and for everyone else to get vaccinated. Because I, like everyone else, want to one day stop wearing the mask. 

I know full well the historical relevance of unethical and inhumane research that was done on our people without our consent dating back to slavery, which has led to a lack of trust in medical research. But times have changed, and so have the laws governing clinical research. As such, more and more African Americans are participating in clinical research, and more of us should. In fact, the clinical trials revealed that the vaccine was just as effective in African Americans as it was in other ethnic groups.

But don't take my word for it. Do your research. Don't let the fear of what happened in the past prevent you from benefiting from modern science today and potentially helping to save yourself and others from the deadly coronavirus. Educate yourself, then help to educate others. But whatever you decide to do about the vaccine, do your part to stop the spread.