Trust in science
Boy, is this a relevant topic right now.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mistrust of the science community is at its highest.
As a humbled and honest scientist, this breaks my heart. As a human being, I understand.
Everyday we are told something different. Everyday the guidelines change. Who do we trust? Who do we ask questions too? Who actually knows what is going on?
These are all incredibly valid questions that have left many people, including myself, to question ‘what do I do?’ and ‘why should I even care at this point?’. Throughout the entire pandemic, I have witnessed scientists battling out a public health crisis that has been clouded with political schemes, which has led to mistrust across different generations, backgrounds, demographics, etc.
Let me be very clear, what I am about to say is my personal opinion that was created based on scientific evidence. I think people should get the COVID-19 vaccines. HOWEVER, I am a strong believer in personal choice. The purpose of getting vaccines is to help prevent severe infections, a.k.a. on your death bed in the hospital. You can get the infection again even if you have the vaccine. Let me say that again: you can still get COVID-19 if you received a vaccine. Just like with any vaccine you get, such as the flu, you can still get the flu.
The flu vaccine uses a different technology than the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The flu vaccine is built based on the scientist’s best guess at what virus strain will pop up that year based on what happened the year before. It is like gambling but counting cards. You have a guess as to what is to come, but it is not guaranteed.
I am a strong believer in personal choice, which may upset some people in the scientific community, but this is my personal opinion. You have the freedom everyday to choose what kind of clothes you put on your body (or, frankly, not to put clothes on your body), so why has this shaming the unvaccinated become a narrative in our society? Do you ridicule George in the cubicle next to you because he wore overalls to work? I sure hope not (you go, George’s of the world). So why have we established this anti-unvaccinated narrative in our world that is already extremely divided? Do you know what those other people are going through and why they are choosing not to be vaccinated? No, you don’t. Just like you don’t know why the woman is driving 95mph down the highway swerving in and out of traffic. Maybe her baby was kidnapped from her? Who knows. But, what gives you the right to shame other people for their own personal choices?
Ignorance is one thing, meaning if you don’t want to get the vaccine because you don’t believe in science, do you, make your choice and live with it. But, if you are wondering if you should get the vaccine because you don’t know what to trust or who to listen to, the best piece of advice I can give you is to trust yourself, do your research, and ask questions. Good resources are: your local physician, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and, of course, scientists like me. Most importantly, if you feel like you need to or want to get a vaccine but are a little unsure, get one. The science is true - the vaccines do work to minimize hospitalizations and prevent severe infections. But, if you don’t want to get one for whatever reason, the ball is in your court and do what you want with it. Make a choice for yourself and stay true to what you believe in.
Stay humble.
- Emily
