Opinion: Why I will get the COVID-19 vaccine – OregonLive

Posted: December 20, 2020 at 6:56 pm

Wil Berry

Berry, M.D., is the medical director of Deschutes County Behavioral Health and a community psychiatrist in Bend.

Oregon received its first shipment of vaccines for COVID-19 this week and many citizens have valid questions about their safety and effectiveness.As a physician, my medical training informs how I think about medical interventions and assess risk.I know how much good medicine can do, but I also know about the complications that well-intentioned remedies can cause.And, like most doctors, I am cautious about any treatment involving myself and my family.

But my mind is made up:I will be getting the COVID-19 vaccine at the first opportunity.Let me explain why.

First, while some people worry that getting vaccinated is unnatural or non-organic, I do not feel this way.In fact, vaccination is an effective health intervention significantly responsible for the increase in human life expectancy over the past few centuries precisely because it takes advantage of the natural processes of the immune system.Our bodies are exposed to novel organisms such as bacteria and viruses frequently and building up immunity to these potential dangers is something healthy immune systems do on their own.Vaccines, such as those developed to prevent COVID-19, are designed to intentionally expose our bodies to benign versions of real threats, giving them the chance to build a defense before we are exposed unpredictably.From this doctors viewpoint, few interventions in modern medicine can be considered as natural or holistic.

I would also rather take my chances with a vaccine than with COVID-19.It is possible that I could have a negative reaction to the vaccine or, while very unlikely, a serious adverse reaction.This doesnt change my mind because the possible negative outcomes with COVID-19 are more common and much more severe. We know that COVID-19 causes serious respiratory illness, increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. It has killed more than 300,000 Americans. And a substantial portion of those infected with COVID-19 continue to live with debilitating symptoms. Even if one considers a new vaccine to be a novel intervention, this battle of unknowns produces a clear verdict:COVID-19 is the far riskier option.

Finally, I will be getting the vaccine because I want to return to the normal routines of my life without fear that I may infect someone more vulnerable.We know that COVID-19 is frequently spread by asymptomatic people.If I were to forgo vaccination I would worry that my choice might lead others to get sick; I do not want this on my conscience.As someone who wants to travel and meet people in my personal and professional life without limitation, I feel I have a moral responsibility to get vaccinated.

When I was a young child on an airplane, I experienced turbulence for the first time and started to panic.A kind stranger sitting next to me shared advice Ive never forgotten:Look at the flight attendants, he said. If theyre not worried, you dont need to be.The flight attendants were sitting calmly, so I relaxed.I understand and respect the need people feel to do their own research about vaccines.But dont forget to look at the doctors especially those in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and hospital wards who have most clearly seen what this virus does to the human body.If you listen to them and their stories of this past year, you will hear how much suffering and death they have witnessed.They will also tell you why they are eager to receive the vaccine for COVID-19.I hope you will listen.

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Opinion: Why I will get the COVID-19 vaccine - OregonLive

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