It really only takes one person for the COVID-19 vaccine to be effective.

I get tired of politicians and government workers claiming that 70-90 percent of the population must be vaccinated for the COVID-19 vaccine to be effective. I think this is the logic of government worker, serving the mythical public, which doesn’t really exist except on in minds of the government workers.

The COVID-19 vaccine is quite effective – 90 plus percent effective if you take it personally. Not if 70-90 percent of your neighbors take it, but if you personally choose to take it. While a high uptake of the vaccine might help reduce community spread, the best way to protect yourself is to take it yourself. Not rely on your neighbors to do the right thing, in a hope that vaccinated individuals are less likely to spread the virus.

I get my flu shot every year. I suggest you do too. It’s free and easy to do. Not because I’m community minded or want to help my neighbors, but because I don’t want to get the flu and feel miserable and feeling like I want to die for two weeks, missing work and everything else I would otherwise be enjoying in life. Science actually suggests that the flu vaccine isn’t real effective at slowing the spread of the flu, but it can help protect you and make your symptoms much less serious. Who knows with COVID? Research is ongoing but certainly help yourself by getting vaccinated.

I don’t like the public-minded thinking around the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s stupid to wait in line, out in the cold to get vaccinated just so you can be a proud Joe Biden supporter or pretend to help your neighbors. If people think of vaccination as being community minded, it’s going to encourage less uptake of the vaccine, and encourage fewer market forces and less distribution of vaccine in a timely fashion.

Don’t get vaccinated for your community, get vaccinated so you don’t get sick. Avoid the lines, plan to visit your local pharmacy off-hours once that vaccine is available or during your regularly scheduled doctor’s check up or other visit. Don’t make a special trip, but do get vaccinated as soon as it’s convenient to avoid potential personal suffering.