I am sure everyone is as tired of hearing about the virus, the variants that came to fruition from the virus, and the vaccines that have been available for several months, but this continues to be a massive issue in the United States. Neither the virus nor the vaccines are a political statement. COVID-19 and the vaccines are not Republican or Democrat, and they do not discriminate. The virus that has spread throughout the world does not care what the color of someone’s skin is, who they worship or love, their ethnicity, where someone lives or is from, their age, or anything else, and has already killed over four million people worldwide. Unfortunately, these numbers will only continue to rise until everyone does what is necessary to end COVID!

The crazy things I have heard people say recently are they will not get the vaccine for religious reasons or think the vaccine should be a personal decision and not mandatory, they cannot find the time to get the vaccine, and masks are taking away their freedom. None of these illogical thoughts make any sense to me. For starters, masks are NOT taking away anyone’s freedom but are saving lives. Also, the vaccine is completely FREE, and it does not take long to get the shots, so 15-20 minutes is worth it to keep living.

There are very few religions that are opposed to vaccinations. The reason why some religions are opposed to vaccinations is due to things the vaccines are made from, but the COVID vaccine is not made of any animal-based ingredients. Christian scientists tend to turn down vaccines because they have a belief in the healing through prayers, which means they believe prayers can have the ability to cure diseases and illnesses. Unfortunately, no amounts of prayers are stopping COVID from taking a person’s life.

The Dutch Reformed Church does not have an official standpoint on the COVID vaccine, but many of the members are opting out of the vaccination. These people believe that vaccines will interfere with their relationship with God by making them less dependent.

I was very apprehensive about getting the COVID vaccine, but it was out of fear of possible interactions with the Gilenya I take for Multiple Sclerosis. I remember years ago when the flu vaccine was available and was a live vaccine and frowned upon with Gilenya so I never got the vaccine and luckily never got the flu. Despite what was said at the beginning of the pandemic, COVID is a lot different than the normal flu and a lot more deadly. Of course, with the COVID vaccine being new there was not a lot of information available and even the manufacture of the Gilenya was unsure if the vaccine was safe for me to get. I did not wait for approval from my neurologist or the manufacture to get the vaccine and thankfully, it did not have any of the interactions I was fearful of.  Unfortunately, six months after getting the vaccine, my bloodwork showed that I did not have any antibodies for COVID so masks are a must for me, but I still do not regret getting the vaccine because maybe the vaccine was protecting me in the beginning. Plus, those that are fully vaccinated and got COVID had less severe symptoms.

No vaccine is 100% effective, but the Pfizer vaccine for COVID is 95% effective. Moderna is 94.1% effective and Johnson & Johnson is 85% effective with COVID. I would say that even an 85% effectiveness is better than nothing at all. The vaccine may keep people protected for a few months and it loses it protection meaning another vaccine may be necessary. With so many people continuing to decline getting vaccinated, the virus is only going to continue to mutate creating more variants that are going to be even more deadly and possibly resilient to the vaccine.

I do think one of the major issues with the virus and the vaccine is ALL the misinformation and lies that are being spread on social media and from ignorant people. This is dangerous for the health of all humans and needs to end. Masks will NOT cause health issues but will prevent the spread of COVID and end more variants from starting. Wearing a mask will NOT only keep you safe but keep others safe if you are infected with COVID because you are asymptomatic.

With children going back to school, there have been a lot more kids and teachers getting sick with COVID and ending up in the hospital. Thankfully, my husband and I do not have two-legged children because I do not think I would feel comfortable with my child going to school. Many parents are fighting requirements for their children to wear a mask, but then do not want their child having remote learning. I think it is crucial to keep the children and teachers as safe as possible. I think what some parents do not realize is, their child follows their example. The parents that are causing violence in meetings with the staff and other parents at their school and acting with no regards to human life are setting the worst example. The truth is, children are our future and when they are only seeing bad behavior, what does that do to the future of our country? The children are not able to fully understand the seriousness of this virus and do not comprehend the importance of masks and social distancing. Children must be at least 12 to get the vaccine, so those under 12 are at a higher risk.

I do understand that there is no way to change someone’s mind about getting vaccinated, but I can at least try providing these people with a logical explanation about the importance. The only person I can control is myself, so I will continue wearing a mask and will either get a third shot of the COVID vaccine or a booster when it is available. The one thing we all can work together on is ending the spread and further variants of this extremely serious virus. Part of me thinks that our new normal is wearing masks anytime we leave our homes and disinfecting anything that enters our homes. It might not be a great way to live, but it will provide some sort of comfort and safety.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I do hope the information I have shared has enlightened you to the gravity of this virus. I will urge you to get vaccinated if you have not already so we can END COVID sooner rather than later. I care about human life, which is why I will continue to do what is necessary to keep everyone safe and alive. I am looking forward to reading what your thoughts are on the information I provided in this post and promise to respond to all comments as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa