Our Family Got Vaccinated and Had a Long-Awaited Reunion: It Was Awesome

This past weekend, my extended family had a long-awaited reunion. Almost all of the adults — but for a few intransigent members not wanting a vaccine — were vaccinated. It was outdoors. There were family members I had not seen in more than a year.

We hung out, ate, drank, and laughed together, without any fear of giving COVID to each other or to vulnerable family members. We argued with those remaining few who just adamantly refused to be vaccinated. We played sports and had a genuinely amazing time. It was so awesome.

If this is not a reason to get vaccinated, then I don’t know what is.

The data is clear that vaccinated individuals are not only protected against COVID, but they also — by and large — do not transmit the virus to others. And so the more people are vaccinated, the safer it is to gather with friends and family who are also vaccinated.

Why not get the vaccine and vastly increase your chance of not getting sick yourself or getting vulnerable family and friends sick as well? The vaccines are exceedingly safe, and they have been shown — after hundreds of millions of people getting jabs — to be exceedingly effective at reducing the burden of COVID.

The separation of friends and family — for the greater good of keeping each other safe — was a necessary evil. But it was hard on all of us. Now that we have game-changing vaccines, we can finally get together and not worry about getting each other sick.

If this is not a reason to get vaccinated, then I don’t know what is.