Page 84 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2022
P. 84
HEALTHY LIVING
VACCINE HESITANCY
story by Courtney Clark, DO
and courtesy of the Mississippi State Medical Association
Mississippi State Medical Association
P.O. Box 2548, Ridgeland 601.853.6733, ext. 324 www.MSMAonline.com
There has never been a time in our lives so focused on population health and vaccines as in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There are very few things in medicine so well researched and proven to be as effective as vaccines. Given the heavy toll the COVID-19 pandemic was taking on human life, it is nothing short of an enormous win for science that a vaccine was able to be produced in time to save human lives and suffering.
The COVID-19 vaccine process was interesting in that it was the
first time a vaccine was being developed, tested, and given through the scientific method in real time with the world as an audience. This meant whenever a side effect was noted or a change to the vaccine or schedule needed to be made, the world saw unfold what was usually fixed behind closed doors, so to speak, as a normal part of vaccine development.
There are side effects to everything in life; the COVID-19 vaccine is
no exception. But that also means there are side effects to not taking the COVID-19 vaccine, and unfortunately the world has seen all too well what those side effects can be, including loss of life.
According to the CDC, the pediatric population is the least likely to be immunized against COVID-19 with only 13 percent of those 5-11 years old, 39 percent of those 12-17 years old, and only 11 percent of the 12-17 year old age group receiving
a booster ( per the Mississippi State Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccination Reporting, 2022).
As of January, 2022, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health there have been 10 childhood deaths in the state from COVID-19 and every single one of them were unvaccinated. This highlights why it is so important for our young people to continue to get vaccinated.
84 | July 2022
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