MARCH 20, 2026 LIVING ARCHIVE GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 To vaccinate, or not to vaccinate ... JAZ BRENNAN Groundcover contributor On Monday, December 14, 2020, trucks packed with a newly approved COVID-19 vaccine rolled into cities and towns to set up shop for distribution. A highly anticipated event, as by December, over 1.6 million people had perished from the disease, more than 300,000 of those in the United States alone. The vaccine was furiously sought by many labs and drug companies. In the end, two took the lead: Moderna and Pfizer. Both vaccines are mRNA derived, which is different and new from what we have seen of vaccines previously. Instead of using small amounts of non-viable virus, mRNA enters into the cells and produces the viral protein spike which allows the body to recognize it as an intruder and produce antibodies to defeat it. Plainly put, mRNA acts as a blueprint for our immune system to fight back. Both Moderna and Pfizer report seeing 95% efficacy in preventing illness and complications. Although a small number of vaccinated people still became infected with coronavirus, only one was more than a minor case, suggesting that the vaccines are close to perfect in preventing serious illness from COVID-19. However, vaccines are only effective if you can convince people to take them. As the rollout amps up, so does the variance in people's willingness to be inoculated. There are two obvious camps here: 'yes, I will take it' and 'no, get that thing away from me.' Within each reaction, there's a spectrum of reasons why and how people are making their decisions. According to Groundcover News volunteer Jon MacDonagh-Dumler, it's all about the science. "We have to believe in science," said MacDonagh-Dumler. "We must have hope — I feel [the vaccine] is a good idea and it's going to help." This is not an uncommon phrase heard from proponents of the vaccination. Many are choosing to believe officials who advocate for the safety and effectiveness of the COVID vaccine. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, has striven to strengthen the confidence of those waffling with the decision. Misinformation and divisive rhetoric has left some worrying that they don't have enough facts to make the right decision. Still some choose the shot and are relieved to have the protection it confers. "It's like a car," stated community member Lisa Gizzi. "I don't know how any of that works, but I trust the mechanics who do." It seems reasonable to have trust in a system that has been growing and evolving over many years, developing some of the most impressive medical advances seen throughout our history. However, history may just be the reason others refuse. "The vaccine is bullshit," said Groundcover vendor, Joe Woods. "Maybe it'd be good if it was done right, but this is a money scheme from the government — you never know what they're putting in it." "I'm not getting that shot!" exclaimed Groundcover vendor Gary Robinson. "I don't want to be tracked or nothing. I just don't worry about it, that'll only cause more problems.” These statements may seem hyperbolic, however, medicine has a sour history of exploiting communities of color in the name of medical progress. Many are aware of the Tuskegee study where over the period of 40 years the United States Public Health Service falsely treated 600 impoverished Black men diagnosed with syphilis. The goal of this violation was to study the effects and progression of the untreated disease. Perhaps not as commonly discussed is the long standing medical mistreatment of the Black community. Forced sterilizations, historic inequity of healthcare access and resources, as well as the use of Black bodies for medical experimentation are just the tip of the iceberg of structural medical violence that communities of color have faced. Others take issue not with what's in the vaccine, but who gets what out of it. Another vendor, Derek Allen, noted his concern about the quick turn around of the product. "It's a setup. [The government] made the virus and spread it so they could sell the vaccine. It's all for the money." In a time where capitalism is being called into question, the concept of the vaccine being just another financial swindle isn't too far outside the realm of possibility. Others still declare concerns of the long term effects. Groundcover vendor Larzell Washington makes it clear that he is not planning to take the vaccine. Washington reports hearing too many mixed messages regarding the potential for problems from the vaccine down the road. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," concludes Washington. Groundcover publisher Susan Beckett admitted to an earlier reluctance to being one of the first to take the vaccine because of its foreshortened approval process and new technology, However, as she learned more, that ambivalence has changed to an eagerness to get vaccinated. “Once I learned that the vaccine essentially introduces my immune system to a geometric shape associated with the coronavirus without actually changing my RNA or exposing me to live virus, I was reassured on that front. And when I learned that the expedited approval process was not from cutting corners but from deliberate efficiency, I was convinced.” The efficiencies Beckett refers to are: 1. The mRNA technology, which has been in development for 10 years, allowed the usual years-long trial and error vaccine development to occur in two weeks once China shared the genome sequencing for COVID-19 in late winter; 2. The testing phase reached the statistically significant stage much faster than normal because COVID-19 was spreading at such a rapid rate throughout the population. 3. With funding from governments and philanthropists such as the Gates Foundation, pharmaceutical companies began building the manufacturing facilities for the most promising vaccines very early in the process instead of waiting for FDA approval like they usually do. While the long term effects of COVID-19 have yet to be realized, they may be worse than the struggle to overcome the initial infection. There have been reports of chronic health conditions as the virus viciously attacks the lungs, heart and brain. Enduring fatigue and joint pain are the most common, but heart defects and permanent brain fog are also being reported. And the new, more infectious and possibly more deadly strain that has made its way to Washtenaw County increases the likelihood of infection. When it comes to the vaccine, there are several reasons people choose one way or the other. No one knows what long-term effects there might be from the vaccine, though past vaccines have proven safe. A small number of people with allergies or autoimmune conditions might have adverse reactions to the vaccine. But the vaccine will ensure that nearly all who take it will be spared the battle to overcome COVID-19 and its long-term damage to their bodies. Vaccination holds the hope of a return to indoor dining and hugging loved ones. We don't have all the answers, which can make it difficult to decide. Meanwhile, wearing masks and keeping our distance have been shown to reduce the spread. Hope, health and being heard is all we can ask for as we work to battle this new age pandemic. Originally published in the February 2021 edition of Groundcover News.
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