The Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

Rebecca Yamraj

My name is Rebecca Yamraj, I am 30 years old, live in Homestead, and I have been a registered nurse at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for almost five years.

My experience receiving the Covid-19 vaccine was great. An appointment was required, and after I received the vaccine, I was required to stay for 15 minutes for observation in case there was any reaction.
This vaccine felt like any other vaccine I have received before. The usual consent was required to be signed before the vaccine was administered, and I experienced a small amount of pain at the injection site after, which is common with injections.

I would tell people who are afraid of getting vaccinated that science works. Though this vaccine is new, this type of vaccine is not. Vaccinations also create herd immunity, which is when most of a population is immune to a disease, thus minimizing the spread. Diseases like polio and mumps have been virtually eradicated because of the herd immunity established by vaccinations, and the Covid-19 vaccine is a major step in finally getting the pandemic under control. It is important to stay informed but to be sure that the information is coming from valid and credible sources.

I think it is important to get vaccinated against Covid-19 because this virus is very dangerous. We are unsure of the long-term effects of this virus, so minimizing the risk of contracting it would be advantageous. In addition, we are around vulnerable populations in the community, such as children and the elderly. Though I may be of good health, those populations may not and receiving the vaccine will help minimize their exposure to the virus which can, unfortunately, be deadly.

COVID-19 vaccination will help keep you from getting COVID-19
All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19. Learn more about the different COVID-19 vaccines.
• All COVID-19 vaccines that are in development are being carefully evaluated in clinical trials and will be authorized or approved only if they make it substantially less likely you’ll get COVID-19.
• Based on what we know about vaccines for other diseases and early data from clinical trials, experts believe that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19.
• Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Experts continue to conduct more studies about the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on severity of illness from COVID-19, as well as its ability to keep people from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.
Wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others, but these measures are not enough. Vaccines will work with your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed.
Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools we have available. As experts learn more about how COVID-19 vaccination may help reduce spread of the disease in communities, CDC will continue to update the recommendations to protect communities using the latest science.