I hope everyone had a safe and lovely holiday season. I have received many calls and during our conversations the topic of what I think about taking the vaccine that is out to combat the virus. Let me first start by saying it is a personal choice by each individual. Like anything else you have to way the pros and the cons. Nothing is ever absolute and we must be reminded that each individual responds in different ways.

let me share that when I emerged as a practitioner in Maternal Child Health a mother giving birth naturally (vaginally) stayed in the hospital for three days. If you had a Caesarean section you remained in the hospital for seven days. In addition one did not get out of bed until twenty four hours: I need not go into the number of antibiotics and the other remedies for built up of flatus(gas).. Through research we realized that getting surgical patients out of bed within eight hours improved the recovery to the point that patients were eligible for discharge within three days. For the natural births they could be discharged by twenty four hours. We use to encourage the idea of positioning the newborn on the side or stomach, sleeping on the back was a no no. Now through research we found that sleeping on the back is the best and the incidences of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) declined. These might be simple illustrations considering the advances in management of many disease processes and conditions but you can see what I am thinking.

I am reminded that any drug you take has side effects and some people might exhibit one or more or none at all. The question of how quickly these vaccines were produced in comparison to the projected time might give some reason for pessimism. However we need to be reminded that technology, science and research in general are way ahead of where they were even a year ago and we should be encouraged by the extreme measures of review that are taken before approved for administration. I encourage my friends and family to consider their individual circumstances as to where they fit and their decision to take or not to take the vaccine. Your current health, any medical condition you might have that makes you more susceptible. We consider age, respiratory issues, diabetes, autoimmune conditions etc. My plan is to take the vaccine when distribution comes to my turn. I hope to protect my friends and family members as much as I can.

Traveling came to a sudden halt in 2020 but I am hopeful that my fellow human beings will take heed and follow scientific guidelines that we can return to some of the normal things we had become accustomed to and took for granted. I applaud all first responders and am grateful to my healthcare colleagues who have withstood the challenges. I have gotten feedback as to how they are coping and managing day after day. They describe it as “stressful, unbelievable, you would have to be in it to believe it, sadness, defeated” but still they go on trying not giving up.

I wish everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous 2021.