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“I’d rather get vaccinated than get sick” is seemingly the most logical thought one could have during a year-long global pandemic. But that thought, in fact, was not what first came to my mind when I learned vaccines against COVID-19 would be made available to the public. I asked: “How did they come up with a vaccine so fast?” I said dismissively, “It’s not effective.”

I joined other people in having fear of taking a new vaccine. And as a Black American who is aware of the Tuskegee experiment and the history of other unsafe and bias medical practices performed in past decades, I thought – “Not me! I’ll let others get it and we’ll see what happens.”

But I eventually changed my mind. Here’s why.

By early February, vaccines were in Detroit and obtaining an appointment to get a vaccine became possible for me and my family. Three vaccine options emerged from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Then, one afternoon, I looked on my calendar and noticed two conferences hosted by my employer requires my presence this summer. That would mean being around hundreds of people after more than a year of social distancing and quarantining.

I also thought about my family. My mother is in her 60s and my sister is in her 40s and physically disabled. I know if either one contracted Covid-19 that the experience would be difficult, possibly devastating. Shouldn’t I help protect their lives?

I also thought about a friend’s wedding I am invited to attend in September, and how my social life and time with friends and family has been socially distanced or nonexistent for over a year now. “I want to finally meet my nephew born last August,” I thought.

It became clear that the solution to “getting my life back” was getting a COVID-19 vaccine. No quick actions were taken. I took time to think about it more.

Eventually, I realized that getting vaccinated would be a way to protect and empower myself. With three options available I could also give myself the power to choose which vaccine I got. That is when I embraced my personal preference for Pfizer’s vaccine due to its 95% efficacy rate. Getting vaccinated would also mean taking charge of protecting myself from the deadly virus in a new way.

I also learned facts about how the vaccines have been developed. While covering one of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s virtual town halls, “Vaccine Insight with MSU Leaders,” I learned research for the vaccines did not emerge too soon or from out of thin air like I first assumed. Michigan State University President Dr. Stanley Samuel, an infectious disease researcher, made a point to clarify that research into a safe vaccine addressing the SARS virus (COVID-19 is medically known as SARS-Cov-2) started during the outbreak of SARS-Cov-1 in 2002.

Then this blog by Wellness Works came across my desk. It outlines the ingredients used in the vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna, and how both vaccines work to be effective in the human body. This information coupled with my desire to reclaim aspects of a normal life led me to go from having vaccine hesitancy to being ready to schedule a vaccine appointment.

When I told my family that deciding whether to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ultimately comes down to being a part of the solution or the problem, they also eventually let go of their hesitancy and fear. We chose to do our part to help end the pandemic that has claimed far too many lives.

My mother, my sister and I got an appointment to get the Pfizer vaccine at the TCF Center Drive-Thru Vaccination Site in downtown Detroit in early March. “First dose day” went smooth. We were greeted politely by organizers and medical practitioners. We filled out forms that asked questions about our medical and allergy history. Getting the first shot took less than 10 seconds. I was pleasantly surprised by how thin the needle is, making the shot painless. Over the next few days, my family and I all experienced no noticeable side effects, other than arm soreness at the injection site and a bit of exhaustion.

“Second dose day” occurred in early April and went even smoother than the first time. My mother, my sister and I did not experience any noticeable side effects after getting the second dose, despite hearing on the news that side effects with the second dose were more likely. I experienced arm soreness again, but placing an ice bag on the injection site helped to ease the pain.

My family and I are now fully vaccinated and looking forward to the pandemic ending and our lives getting back to complete normalcy. We know it will take time. However, I encourage everyone to get the vaccine, regardless of age, race, gender, health status or physical ability. Let’s all do our part to get to a better place together.

Written by: Alicia McClendon of Let’s Detroit