Graphic by Tatyana Ross
Tatyana Ross
Editor-in-chief
The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly impacted the way we live today. Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2019, the FDA has released five different vaccines to help combat the battle of COVID in the U.S.
- Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine
- Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine
- AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine
- Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine
- Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline’s COVID-19 vaccine
It is not a government mandate to get the vaccine, so the option is left to each individual person to choose whether or not they want the vaccine. I whole-heartedly believe it is in our rights as American citizens to make our own decisions when it comes to personal health concerns.
I am not a supporter of the vaccine because I have witnessed close relatives experience health concerns that were not an issue before receiving the vaccine. I feel like this was due to doctors not viewing prior medical histories to inform patients whether or not this vaccine would be the right choice for them.
This further increased my skepticism of the vaccine as a whole and I developed even more distrust in it.
According to the National Governors Association, in 2021 there were several states offering different incentives to take the vaccine.
In my home state of Alabama, the Talladega Superspeedway was offering people aged 16 and older who chose to be tested and/or vaccinated the thrill of driving their car or truck on the 2.66-mile track. Drivers and their riders could take two laps behind a pace car at highway speed, including the 33-degree-high banks.
Another incentive was offered by Alabama Department of Public Health in sponsoring a TikTok Contest for people aged 13-29 who posted a video of themselves getting vaccinated. The four winners were awarded a $250 Visa gift card.
Personally, it further raised my concerns of getting the vaccine, validated my thoughts of the vaccine being unnecessary, and caused me to wonder what is in each of the vaccines since there was a need to further entice more people to take it.
Due to my concerns about the vaccine, I don’t plan on getting vaccinated at all. Unfortunately, this has proven to be an issue in many ways. There are several jobs that will not allow employees to work if they do not have proof of their vaccination status.
I have experienced it first-hand after being offered opportunities where I had to decline because of my stance against receiving the vaccination. However, I don’t think it is fair and I find it discriminatory against people who think differently.
I understand there are concerns for some people in the workplace who worry that anti-vaxxers will potentially spread the illness to others but if the government isn’t mandating it, jobs shouldn’t either.
Bloomberg Law review of cases in 2022 reported that there were at least 66 lawsuits against private employers in Sept. 2021 for refusing to grant exemptions, or for providing allegedly insufficient accommodations to employees.
I do believe anti-vaxxers should be aware of the risks we maintain but it has not been proven that the vaccine makes much of a difference. According to the CDC, people who are vaccinated can still become sick with COVID because no vaccine is 100 percent effective.
I think this shows more than enough evidence for all jobs to get rid of their mandate on the vaccine in the workplace. People shouldn’t feel like their career is on the line because of the pressure to get vaccinated.
I believe that is my right to choose what enters and exits my body. My favorite quote is “If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything” by Malcom X and I stand by my decision regardless of how others feel.
