With vaccination numbers slowly growing across the country, many Minnesotans are hesitant to make their appointments. To aid in the discussion, Dr. David Hilden of HCMC joined Paul and Jordana to help address people’s concerns.
At the beginning of their conversation, Paul mentions that over 30% of U.S. adults have been vaccinated. And, over half of all eligible Minnesotans have received the vaccine.
And though the numbers grow each day, many people are having discussions about whether they will be vaccinated. Paul himself went on to talk of a neighbor whom he ‘loves and respects’ who mentioned their hesitancy for the vaccine. He asks Dr. Hilden for his advice on the situation.
“What should I have said to my neighbor? Or, should I just keep my, my big trap shut,” Paul asked.
“Well, you know, I'm wondering if I should tell you what I would want to say versus what I think you probably should say, because I struggled with that very issue,” Dr. Hilden said. “I want to kind of grab people by the shoulders and shake them and say, come on, you’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do this.”
Dr. Hilden went on to say that everyone has different “lived experiences” and that there could be “many reasons” for not wanting the vaccine. However, Dr. Hilden argued for reminding people of their communities and families.
“It doesn't really matter about your own personal safety. You have the right to do whatever you want with your own personal safety. But what about your family? What about your grandkids? What about your school? What about your community?” asked Dr. Holdin. “And, and it is a scientific fact that we would be in a much much worse position today if people hadn't gotten vaccinated.”
In their discussion, Paul mentioned that one in three service members doesn’t want the vaccine, along with one in three healthcare workers.
“So doc, what happens if those people, just that amount of people just refuse the vaccine and never get it? Will we ever reach herd immunity?” Jordana asked.
“If enough people don't get this thing… They have made the decision for all of us that we're going to be living with this longer. Now, that part sounds harsh too. But that's just the truth,” said Dr. Holdin. “Two to Three times as many people would be getting this thing if it weren't for the vaccine, even that we've had so far. It's scientific evidence that the vaccine has done an enormous amount of good that we would otherwise be in the worst surge of the whole pandemic right now.”
The discussion continued into the lasting impacts of COVID-19 and the consequences that may be around the corner for younger Minnesotans.
“. . .you don't want to have your 18-year-old get this thing, you know, because of what you just said. You might get better in three days. But what if you have ongoing heart inflammation? What if you get a kind of a brain fog for three months?” Dr. Holden said. “It's nothing, it's nothing to take lightly.”