Dorothy Lu
ENGL 21003
Professor Justine Matias
October 25, 2022
The City College of New York
COVID-19 Vaccine Necessity
Vaccines have been established for hundreds of years, assisting in preventing numerous infectious diseases and limiting the spread of these diseases. Many doctors, scientists, and medical professionals stand by the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of harmful viruses. During the outbreak of COVID-19, the issue of whether vaccination should be mandatory has become a hot topic among politicians, scientists, and medical professionals, as well as the general public. Some people believe that vaccination should be necessary to ensure the safety of the public. However, there were individuals who thought that mandating vaccination would be infringing on personal rights and the right to one’s own body. Scientists, researchers, and medical staffs typically stand by the argument that vaccination is necessary in preventing the spread of COVID-19 as well as reducing the outcomes of infection. However,
many also believe that the side effects of the vaccines are not worth the prevention against the virus. There are also some individuals who seem to believe the vaccine is a ploy for government tracking. It is important for the public to be educated and aware of the factual evidence that shows both the benefits and the potential risks of vaccination and to debunk damaging myths surrounding vaccines. For public safety, it is important to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine because it helps to prevent the further spread of the virus as well as reduces severe symptoms and death.
Despite the positive outcomes of the COVID-19 vaccine, many people still refuse to receive the vaccine. This is because many individuals believe in false conspiracy theories regarding vaccination, concerns surrounding the side effects of vaccination, as well as distrust in government, medical professionals, and vaccines in general (Marchlewska et al. 1). Although it is true that certain vaccines may cause concerns and side effects such as antibody-dependent enhancement and cardiovascular complications (Gan Lin et al. 2), research has shown that there is no evidence to support that antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) occurs in the COVID-19 vaccines (Gan Lin et al. 6). According to Gan Lin et al., antibody-dependent enhancement occurs when antibodies presented by vaccines enhance the symptoms of infection due to the inability to fully neutralize the virus (2). However, their research confirmed that there was no evidence linking ADE to the COVID-19 vaccine. Cardiovascular complications may also occur in some patients who have received the vaccine, however, even without vaccination, an infection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus may lead to more severe cardiovascular issues. According to Dries, myocarditis symptoms after a COVID-19 vaccination resolved faster than a typical case of myocarditis after a viral illness (270). Cardiovascular issues such as myocarditis can occur in patients who have received the COVID-19 vaccine and in patients who have not received the vaccine, however, patients who were vaccinated were able to resolve symptoms faster than patients who did not get vaccinated and were infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This shows that although vaccination has both pros and cons, the positive outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the potential negatives of vaccination.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 infection which can be fatal for many individuals, especially elders, children, and those who have a weaker immune system. Vaccination against the infection is highly recommended as it lowers the chance of hospitalization by more than five times compared to being unvaccinated (CDC). This shows that individuals who are vaccinated are at less risk for severe symptoms that require a hospital visit when compared to individuals who are not vaccinated. Dr.Dries concludes that the outcomes including the need for critical care and mortality rates are more favorable with vaccine administration as opposed to without vaccination (271). He also asserts that with patients that are suffering from more severe initial illnesses to the COVID-19 infection, those that were vaccinated received a shorter hospital stay and a reduced need for different forms of organ system support compared to their unvaccinated counterparts (271). Dr. Dries analysis presents a rather strong reason in favor of COVID-19 vaccination due to the lowered risk of death and critical care associated with COVID-19.
For children, elders, and those who have a compromised immune system, COVID-19 vaccination is highly recommended by medical professionals as these groups have an even greater chance of succumbing to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. According to Dr. Usman Ali Faisal et al., vaccination does not only prevent and decrease the risk of the current infection in children, but it can also have a great impact on the prevention of several other serious childhood infections (172). This assertion implies that children who are vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus not only have a greater chance of preventing COVID-19 but also a series of other serious infectious diseases due to increased immunity. Another group that is greatly pressured into receiving the COVID-19 vaccines is healthcare workers. Being around patients carrying various types of diseases and illnesses poses great risk to those working in medical settings, hence, vaccination is one way in which healthcare personnel can protect themselves from contracting infectious diseases from their patients. According to a study of healthcare personnel, the majority of COVID-19 vaccine recipients and their household members reported feeling safer at home (Trent et al. 455). This goes to show that vaccination in healthcare workers not only benefits the individual but also those around them feel safer despite their risky work environment.
Next time you are having doubts about getting vaccinated, know that the benefits often outweigh the risks. Also think not only about how vaccination will benefit you but also those around you. Vaccines are known to be an effective method of preventing infectious diseases. Although some vaccines do come with minimal risks, the risks of not being vaccinated are far greater than that of vaccines. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the COVID-19 infection can cause severe symptoms and may even be fatal for some individuals, therefore, the best prevention is to get immunized.
Works Cited
Ali Faisal, Dr. Usman, et al. “Vaccination; Awareness of Mothers about the Expanded Program
for Immunization.” THE PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL JOURNAL, vol. 24, no. 01,
2017, pp. 171–176., https://doi.org/10.17957/tpmj/17.3574.
“CDC Covid Data Tracker.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#covidnethospitalizations-vaccination.
Dries, David J. “Vaccination.” Air Medical Journal, vol. 41, no. 3, 2022, pp. 268–271.,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amj.2022.02.007.
Gan, Lin, et al. “Does potential antibody-dependent enhancement occur during SARS-CoV-2
infection after natural infection or vaccination? A meta-analysis.” BMC Infectious
Diseases, vol. 22, no. 1, 19 Sept. 2022, p. NA. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/A718471233/OVIC?u=cuny_ccny&sid=bookmarkOVIC&xid=fe1a1f72. Accessed 27 Sept. 2022.
Marchlewska, Marta, et al. “Covid-19: Why Do People Refuse Vaccination? the Role of Social
Identities and Conspiracy Beliefs: Evidence from Nationwide Samples of Polish Adults.”
Vaccines, MDPI, 10 Feb. 2022,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8879551/.
Trent, Stacy A., et al. “Vaccination Rates and Acceptance of Sars‐Cov‐2 Vaccination among
U.S. Emergency Department Health Care Personnel.” Academic Emergency Medicine,
vol. 28, no. 4, 2021, pp. 455–458., https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.14236.
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