There shouldn’t be any contemplation when it comes to signing-up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in order to bring a sense of normalcy back to American lives.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines has been proven to be both safe and effective and were approved by the Food and Drug Administration for Emergency Use Authorization. Alison Steinvacj and Stephanie Innes from Azcentral wrote, “Health experts and the CDC say the vaccines are safe unless you are allergic to a specific vaccine ingredient or have had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis or a reaction requiring hospitalization) to a vaccine ingredient in the past.”

The vaccine will only prevent future outbreaks if a majority of the population receives the vaccination, which is why everyone has to do their part in getting their vaccination. Cheyenne Haslett of ABC News wrote, “[Ohio governor Mike] DeWine openly acknowledged that he was concerned about vaccine hesitancy getting in the way of herd immunity for the state, though.”

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective when it comes to getting severely sick from contracting the virus. Amy C. Sherman of Harvard Health Publishing wrote, “Although it’s possible that people who are fully vaccinated could still spread the virus, the vaccines are excellent at protecting you from severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.”

Sophomore Megan Kless was scared to be a part of the Pfizer vaccine efficacy in children 12-15 trial but felt that she would be helping others by doing so. She said, “I know that kids my age have had a hard time with Covid and I thought that this way I would help kids be able to be kids again.”

A majority of people need to get the vaccine in order for it to be effective, and for COVID-19 restrictions to ease up. Kless said, “In my mind, it’s respectful to get vaccinated. There are some people that cannot get vaccinated due to health issues, so do it for them and for yourself.”

Two weeks after receiving your second vaccine activities that were once very high, Sherman alleges the risk will be low risk for that individual, bringing some normalcy back to one’s life. She wrote, “The risk that you’ll develop COVID-19 is low if you are vaccinated and attend a gathering indoors with others who are not vaccinated.”

One aspect that’s causing a lot of hesitancy with receiving the vaccine is the side effects that occur after the shot. Steinvacj and Innes wrote, “Side effects are a good thing — they mean your body is building protection against COVID-19 through an immune response. Your body is not actively fighting the virus, but is building the tools to do so if you get infected in the future.”

Getting the COVID-19 vaccination is what will lead to spending more time with friends and family safely which is what we have been longing to do. There is no hindrance to getting vaccinated that outweighs getting this virus under control and ending the pandemic.