Industry figures are leading the way in getting vaccinated against COVID-19, many of them announcing the occasion of double vax via social media. AdNews asked them about their motivation and experiences.
Sarah Keith, Group Managing Director, Active International Australia and Involved Media:
I’m not going to get into debates with anti-vaxxers, but I will talk to anyone who has vaccine hesitancy – because I was nervous as well. Not because I don’t believe that getting vaccinated is the right thing to do, but because the information was overwhelming, confusing and conflicting.
The day I went for my first AstraZeneca shot and they checked my age, I was told it wasn’t recommended for me and I would have to consult with a doctor. I have a debilitating fear of needles and I don’t particularly enjoy being at medical clinics any longer than I must be, so that small hurdle was nearly enough to send me rushing for the exit.
Instead, I took a deep breath and focused on the fact that vaccination has made an enormous contribution to global health for centuries. All my life I have relied on vaccination to keep me safe from disease and to enable me to travel. So, I parked my needle phobia, consulted a doctor, rolled up my sleeve and got jabbed. Twice now.
Every right-thinking person knows that for life as we knew it to resume, we need to get vaccinated. The collaboration, learning and development and esprit de corps that comes with face-to-face human connection is largely missing from many people’s lives. We want it back. To get it back, we need to get vaccinated and to encourage everyone we know to do that the same. Besides, the needle didn’t hurt after all.
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