The COVID-19 vaccine is the key to returning back to a normal life, but many people have argued that the vaccine isn’t necessary.

In the last few months, people on social media have expressed their concerns over the vaccine. Unfortunately, many of those concerns increased as the fear-mongering of the vaccine flooded the internet.

“I’m absolutely not taking the vaccine, because if I’m not wrong, I don’t think it’s fully protected,” senior Ashley De Sa said. “I don’ think I want any chances of anything. I’d rather wait and see how it works on others first.”

Claims of the vaccine causing Bell’s Palsy, cancer and other diseases spread around when the first round of vaccines were administered. There were few cases of Bell’s Palsy amongst some of the people who took the vaccine, but this was directly as a result of an allergic reaction and not a side effect.

Being afraid of vaccinations is nothing new to Americans. Anti-vaxxers are constantly making empty claims such as vaccines give you autism.

Millions of people don’t trust the government already, but the constant fear-mongering on social media doesn’t help with that.

During the 1920’s, there was a huge success regarding vaccinations against smallpox. In 1926, a group of health officials went to Georgetown, Delaware to try and vaccinate the townspeople. An armed mob stopped the health officials and prevented the attempt at vaccinating the townspeople.

In recent years, the opposition to be vaccinated has increased substantially.

There is no scientific evidence that vaccinations lead to diseases. Most anti-vaxxers refuse to wear masks as well. All of these things have been fueling the pandemic.

A majority of people that have been vaccinated have only reported fevers, arm soreness and fatigue as well as other cold-like symptoms.

This is a clear sign that social media users have been exaggerating the effects of the vaccine.

People have also argued that the vaccine isn’t safe to take because of how quickly it was made and approved.

Many fail to understand that we are much more equipped to create vaccines, and there are thousands of medical professionals and scientists that worked on the development of the vaccine. This is the reason the process of getting the vaccine developed and approved was so quick.

Many FCPS staff members have received their vaccines already. Some vaccine appointments have been cancelled for staff members due to the lack of vaccines. The appointments were cancelled so that staff members that have already been vaccinated can receive their second dose.

As of now, health care workers, the elderly and school faculty members have been the priority for getting vaccines, but some students have also gotten their vaccines due to work and other factors.

“I work at a nursing home so I was allowed to get my vaccine, but my appointment got cancelled last minute,” junior Tiffany Parada said.

President Joe Biden has secured at least 200 million vaccines, and he’s also said that he will be rolling $4 million in aid towards vaccinations.

Although Biden has secured millions of these vaccines, it doesn’t mean that Americans will take it.

According to a National Poll conducted by the CDC, 32.1% of the population does not intend to take the vaccine. This may seem like a small number, but this will result in more casualty and deaths across the nation.

The demographics for those not wanting to take the vaccine are across the board. Young Republicans, young African-Americans and young women are most likely to not take the COVID-19 vaccine.

If the nation wants to return to normal, the only choice is to get the vaccine.