The Value in Vaccines [Mark Sternhagen]

This video shares a personal perspective on the importance of vaccines, highlighting why getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is crucial for individual and community health. It explains the safety, effectiveness, and personal experience of receiving the vaccine to help viewers make informed decisions.

  • Vaccines protect individuals and communities: Getting vaccinated reduces the likelihood of contracting and spreading COVID-19.
  • Personal experience matters: Vaccines are generally well-tolerated, with mild side effects like temporary arm soreness.
  • Trust in medical expertise: Healthcare professionals widely support vaccination based on safety and efficacy data.
  • Historical context reinforces value: Past experiences with diseases like polio demonstrate the effectiveness of vaccination.
  • Encouragement to act: Speaking with trusted healthcare providers can help those uncertain about vaccination feel confident.

Frequently Asked Questions

A vaccine is a medical preparation that triggers the immune system to create antibodies without causing the disease itself. For COVID-19, the vaccine trains the body to recognize the virus and build immunity safely.

Vaccination greatly reduces the chances of contracting COVID-19 and helps prevent spreading it to others, including those who may be vulnerable or unable to get vaccinated.

Yes. Vaccines have been tested for safety and efficacy, and healthcare professionals widely support them. Side effects are generally mild, such as temporary soreness or fatigue.

The vaccination process is generally efficient and organized. Most people experience only minor side effects, such as arm soreness for 24 hours after the shot.

Speak with trusted medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, especially those experienced in treating COVID-19 patients. They can provide accurate information and help address concerns.

Video Transcript

Why did you get the COVID-19 vaccine?

Well, it's pretty simple really why I got the COVID vaccine. It was available to me. As soon as it was, I got it. The main thing is it's the right thing to do. There isn't any question about that. The other thing is, you know, I had polio as a child. And the reason I got polio was because the vaccine was in short supply. And I ended up not getting vaccinated, so I got missed. Nine months later, during polio season, I got polio, and no one else around did. I know, for a fact, had I been vaccinated, I would not have gotten polio. And so I look at the same thing with COVID, and think about that. If I get the COVID vaccine, the odds are very good I'm not going to get COVID. If I don't get the vaccine, the odds are quite good I'm going to get COVID.

What was your experience like when you got vaccinated?

Honestly, it was, I won't say completely painless, but as painless as it possibly could have been. I got it at the Swiftel Center at one of the PODs, and they were extremely organized and so helpful. Everybody knew what they were doing, knew their task, and did it very efficiently, and were friendly, and courteous, and helpful, in every possible way. That part of the experience was fantastic. It couldn't have been better. It couldn't have gone better. The only thing I had out of either one was a slight soreness on my arm for about 24 hours. And the first one didn't start for 24 hours, but then lasted 24 hours. The second one started after maybe six hours after I got the vaccine, and lasted about 24 hours, maybe a little more. Not debilitating in any way. It was just annoying.

Do you feel comfortable with the safety of the vaccine?

Absolutely. One of the easiest ways to feel comfortable with it, is the fact that every medical professional that I know was very happy to get it, were first in line, and happy to be first in line to get it. The way the vaccine is created doesn't give you COVID. It triggers your immune system to create the antibodies that are required, which is exactly how the Salk killed-virus polio vaccine worked. It tricked your body into thinking you had polio, you created the antibodies that were required, and so it gave you immunity.

What would you tell someone that's thinking about getting vaccinated?

I would say absolutely get vaccinated. I would say if you're concerned, talk to medical professionals that you trust, real medical professionals, medical doctors, nurses that have worked in that area, in the field, that have been working in the hospitals. Talk to some of the people that have been on the frontlines of this. My worst nightmare isn't so much that I get COVID even that I maybe would die from COVID. It's that I might pass it along to somebody else who didn't have a choice, and they died. So I'm looking forward to maybe a better normal. I'm hopeful that that's what we're going to get. Not back to what we were as normal, but maybe better.

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