- by David Beisel

I was lucky to join other healthcare workers in Ontario getting vaccinated this week against COVID-19. I’m so lucky to be protected for myself, my family, and most importantly my patients.

As a global community, we are so lucky to have such a safe and effective vaccine so early due to the 24/7 work of many clinicians and scientists who had unprecedented resources and funding to make this happen.

Please know that health care workers stand behind the evidence that this vaccine is safe, and connect with your own provider if you have specific concerns. We know very, very clearly that the risk of complications from catching COVID are FAR greater than the risks of the vaccine. As seen on Twitter, “if you’ve ever eaten at McDonald’s, don’t you worry about what’s in this vaccine”.

As the appointments roll out in the coming months, be patient and celebrate friends and family who get vaccinated before you. The execution process will likely be rocky and may not always be in the perfect order (easy for me to say as an early recipient, I know!). We must all stay safe and protect each other until we are protected.

We must persevere with the same compassion and grace that we have sought over the last year, advocate for those most at risk, and stay hopeful that we will all be safe and together again soon.

David Beisel is completing his Doctor of Medicine at McMaster University. He is a graduate of West Hill Secondary School in Owen Sound.