Today: Mar 29, 2024

Chat and Chew about COVID-19 Vaccine

Caitlin O’HalloranReporter

The multicultural Center and Counseling Programming and Outreach groups held a Chat & Chew to discuss the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“At first, I would say I was somewhat skeptical because this has been done so quickly and as a person of color, in terms of the disparities in the health field, you do have quite a bit of concern. But to be honest, to see all those deaths is heartbreaking,” said the Coordinator of Multicultural Student Activities, Dian Brown-Albert.

This event was held to critically discuss the thoughts of staff and students have about the controversial opinions and questions surrounding the COVID-19 Vaccine.

“When the vaccine first came out, I was really scared about it because I was seeing in the news how people were dying or passing out and all of that when it first came out,” said Diversity Pre-Educator Marie Perez, a junior, “so I was like did they rush it too fast? Will you die from it?”

As of March 1, Connecticut residents 55 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. There are over 130 websites available for those of age to sign up for an appointment to get the first vaccine, according to News 8.

“I’m a caregiver for my parents. My mom is 90, my dad is 91 and for the past year I have been keeping their circle so small and it’s wearing on me,” said Secretary of University Access Programs Laura McKay, “I do all their shopping, my mom does have an aid and a driver but that’s it, no one else is allowed in her house.”

There are still some people who tend to be skeptical about the vaccine and don’t plan on getting it until further trials are completed.

“I feel like for those who take the vaccine, there’s nothing that’s going to happen to them,” said social work major Leeasya Lindsey, a freshman. “I feel like they’re basically just injecting water. Not even to be funny or disrespectful or disrespect your beliefs in the vaccine and that it’s going to end COVID, I don’t believe it is.”

Like Lindsey, Graduate Intern in Multicultural Affairs Simon Mcintyre is also skeptical of the vaccine at the moment because “when it comes to drugs in America, the track record has shown that it hasn’t been good,” and the drug is in the early phases of its trial.

Still, there are those who believe in the positivity of the vaccine who are willing and ready to get them in order to protect themselves as well as others.

“I have a life-threatening medical condition, so I definitely want to get it so I can protect myself against it as well as other people,” said special education major Giana Cardonita, a sophomore. “If they are going to do it by age, I think making it so people with life-threatening medical issues and other comorbidities are able to get it before people who don’t have those kinds of things in their age group.”

In regards to students, Brown-Albert and Counseling Services member Randolph Brooks urged that if they had any questions or wanted more information to contact the university’s health center and they would be provided with the service they need.

“The mumps and the measles, we eradicated that, so you have to read up on it and you have to try to believe in science,” said McKay. “I know it’s hard, but you really have to believe because it’s better than dying, that’s the way I look at it.”

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