Laurie-Ell Bashforth | Special to the 51暗网
This last year has been a long haul filled with stops, starts, sharp turns and most recently big pauses, especially regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
A hot and heavy topic, it鈥檚 difficult keeping up with the changing information. By the time you read this, the details most likely will have changed. So I鈥檓 not going to dive into them. If you have questions, and we all do, I encourage you to come in and talk to us at Pharmasave. We鈥檙e following the information for you, and we鈥檙e continually being updated about the changes.
I do want to cut to the chase about something that has the potential to detour the fight against this virus: vaccine hesitancy.
It鈥檚 natural to be nervous, scared, afraid of something we don鈥檛 know. When we are uncertain and unsure, it鈥檚 easy for us to comfort ourselves with information or a story that backs up that uncertainty. Making it seem like we were right all along. Putting on a brave face and saying, 鈥淚鈥檒l do it even though I鈥檓 not sure of the outcome鈥� is the harder thing to do.
I admit, I鈥檓 not immune to the mental challenges that this virus has dished out. It really has been a practice in resiliency. Reaching out to connect in any way I can, finding ways to be of service, empathizing rather than judging and intentionally putting on my rose colored glasses allowing me to turn toward the bright lights that show up in my life.
Enter the big four vaccines approved in Canada: Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. Four bright lights.
Now some straight talk, because we鈥檙e not all doctors and scientists. This vaccine stuff has become far from easy to keep up with. So, let鈥檚 make it simple. This is what we know:
- All four vaccines trick your body into an immune response so when, or if, it sees the real virus, it鈥檚 ready to fight back.
- All four vaccines lower the chance of you dying from this virus.
- All four vaccines lower the chance of you being hospitalized with this virus.
- Three vaccines require two doses, with the biggest hit of protection in the first dose.
- One vaccine, Johnson & Johnson (not being used yet), requires only one dose.
- All vaccines approved in Canada give us more than protection. They also give us hope.
And hope is a tool not to be ignored in this fight against COVID. It鈥檚 an actual lifeline. But hope is fragile and fades if we don鈥檛 pay attention to it. So, it鈥檚 important to pay attention to it.
Pay attention to these numbers (as of April 1, 2021):
- 5,828,294 Canadians have had their first dose
- 689,975 Canadians have had their second dose and are fully vaccinated
- 13.519 per cent of the Canadian population has been immunized
- 78.4 per cent of doses delivered to the provinces have been administered
- Alberta has administered 634,997 doses
- 12.053 per cent of Albertans have been immunized
Pay attention to the stories. Find someone who鈥檚 been vaccinated and ask them how it feels. In the pharmacy, Merv and I have helped customers who found it difficult to book an appointment for an immunization. I can鈥檛 help but be hopeful when I hear and see the relief, the gratitude, sometimes tears when told they have an appointment. I鈥檝e realized that this little needle, carrying precious liquid, means so much more than a shot in the arm.
Yes, it鈥檚 been an exhausting year. The hope that we can hug a friend, a parent, a child without reservation; attend church on Sunday mornings; welcome people into our homes; travel on a whim; all freely, is within sight.
What can you do, above what you鈥檙e already doing?
- Listen and stay up to date about all vaccines (we鈥檝e got your back on that one).
- Filter vaccine information and focus your attention on what any of the vaccines will open up for you. For others.
- Be hopeful.
And regardless of the information overload, the delays, the confusion, these vaccines are hope in a bottle. Start bragging about them.
If you have specific questions about COVID-19 vaccines and their rollout, come in and speak with us. We鈥檙e happy to help.
Want more healthy hints? Find us on Facebook at Pharmasave Jasper or sign up for monthly emails at Pharmasave.com. Just put Jasper as your local store.
