Doctor explains how to deal with folks who are hesitant about vaccines

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration look into the safety of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19, doctors are concerned this may raise vaccine hesitancy.

“When we’re weighing this risk benefit, particularly to parents with these young kids, just think what would their life be without me,” Dr. Ebony Jade Hilton, associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the University of Virginia, said.

If you’re not ready to roll up your sleeve for a dose just yet, Hilton has this advice: “Talk to persons who can give you the scientific data. We know there is a lot of information that circulates around social media that simply is ungrounded. If you see a post that says something that claims these reactions to vaccines or reactions that they’ve seen with people with COVID-19 and saying it’s a hoax, ask them for the data,” Hilton said.

If you’re still not comfortable with the shot, she says it’s critical to keep your guard up.

“If you are hesitant, if you say, ‘I do not want the vaccine,’ do everything else if possible which includes wearing your mask at all times, which includes social distancing at all times, which includes avoiding those large crowds because you can’t see COVID-19. You can’t tell if the person beside you is an asymptomatic carrier, and you are too vulnerable to falling victim to this virus,” Hilton said.

At the Blue Ridge Health District, Jason Elliott says it’s important to hear from folks directly who received a vaccination.

“We like to encourage people to share your first-hand experience as to why it is important to you and why do you feel that it is important rather than trying to convince other people,” Elliott said.

Both Elliott and Hilton say it’s OK to have questions, but these vaccines are key to ending the coronavirus pandemic.

“As adults we have the autonomy to be able to say what we will and will not do. Our children don’t. If we can give that protective umbrella of us being vaccinated and we can create this herd immunity to protect them, I think we can all agree that they’re worth it. They deserve to be protected from COVID-19,” Hilton said.

Hilton also adds that we have to remember in this vaccine process, it’s important to not only do what’s best for ourselves, but what’s best for the whole community.

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