Today, as the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out, there is a level of contention in the country and even in the military about whether or not to “take the shot.” For me, it is a very simple decision based on science and personal responsibility. I am a federal worker and my job puts me in contact with sailors on a regular basis. My wife is in a high-risk category and I am confident that if she became ill, she would be very sick and could die. I also believe the scientific studies that show that efficacy of the vaccine is high and the risk of any side effects is very low. While these facts certainly influence my opinion, I think my situation is not terribly unique. I will get vaccinated when it is my turn, and try to get my wife vaccinated as soon as possible for the following reasons:
- For my wife. I love my wife and plan to spend lots of years together in retirement, traveling and enjoying each other. The two of us getting vaccinated decreases the chance of me bringing something home to her, and increases the chance of us being able to get on with our plans. It would also allow me to visit my 90-year-old mother without placing her at risk.
- For me. I will get vaccinated to decrease the chances of me getting sick. I know there are statistics out there that may show that the probability of a person like me getting very sick or dying is small, but I do not want to take that chance. The only statistic I care about in this case is me—and I have enough friends who have been quite ill from this disease that I do not want to take the risk—or even to miss several weeks of work supporting our sailors.
- For my coworkers and friends. It would be irresponsible of me not to get vaccinated; otherwise my potential contact would put them at higher risk—because I do not know what their situation is either personally or at home. In my mind, the vaccination is in the same category as a mask. I don’t do it for me (well, in this case, that is not entirely true!) But I do it for you.
- For my service. Every sailor who comes down with the disease has to quarantine for two weeks as do those with whom he or she comes in contact. Those are lost man-days and a burden on other service members. Getting every service member vaccinated will be good for national security and operational readiness.
- For my nation. The sooner this virus is under control the sooner we can all get back to normal lives, and my role is not a small one. My decision affects the people in the stores that I shop at, my friends and family, and the businesses that can reopen when most of the country is vaccinated.
Besides the above reasons, we have a major incentive that all of us would appreciate—a relaxation of health-protection conditions at our respective locations, along with the ability to return to “normal” at home and on deployment. The medical data and facts are available to all of us. Each of us has to do our part to prevent disinformation. It is very encouraging to see senior leaders get the vaccine—I hope they share their lack of side effects and how they feel about it so that others will follow their example. I optimistically look forward to a COVID-free Navy.
