The best photo I saw this week was a selfie of my father-in-law who just received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Along with the injection, they gave him a sticker that says “I was vaccinated!”
As the vaccine launch continues, clinics and distribution centers across the country are adopting things like stickers and even selfie stations adorned with colored backgrounds to help people celebrate the injection.
Selfie stations are configured as colored backgrounds, usually with pro-vaccine messages side by side with the name of the health provider. It’s a good brand. And hey, if social media-friendly origins helped popularize some trendy restaurants, there’s no reason why they wouldn’t work for vaccine sites, too.
Added bonus – if vaccines are being administered in a health setting, it gives people a designated space to take pictures without compromising the privacy of other patients.
Vaccine stickers and selfies can boost confidence in vaccines. Just as “I voted” stickers were designed to remind people about election day, “I was vaccinated” stickers are designed to help people see vaccination efforts going on in their own community.
In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed patches for healthcare professionals to use after being vaccinated. Because they were some of the first people in the country to be vaccinated, the patches were an easy way for workers to start talking about vaccines with their patients and colleagues – some of whom may be reluctant to get the vaccine.
Ready-made vaccination celebrations are also a way to dissuade people from sharing their vaccination cards on social media. They may contain personal information, and posting pictures of them can help scammers. On the other hand, a photo of your self vaccinated with a sticker does not pose much of a risk to privacy.
Patches can also serve the same purpose outside the healthcare industry. But also; they are super fun. Putting a sticker on is a chance to celebrate visually at a time when there was so little to enjoy. Take a selfie to share with the world too. Of course, there are public health benefits of making vaccination visible. It is also pure joy.
How can we say thanks to healthcare professionals and scientists for their sacrifice and service? Get the vaccine as soon as possible to lessen your burden and continue to wear a mask to protect your fellow citizens. In my 80th year, I am grateful and hopeful for better days ahead. pic.twitter.com/emGDlnYL2E
– Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) January 22, 2021
I am not yet eligible to receive the vaccine where I am and I probably won’t be for long. But after seeing so much death and suffering during the past year, it brings me nothing but hope and happiness to see relief in people’s eyes after receiving their vaccines.
Other people have held the vaccine celebrations in their own hands. Not happy with the official offers, they’re dressing at their best, wearing sequins, and even bringing fun dressings to heal after the injection. Vaccinated people still cannot throw a big party without a mask – but they can celebrate a small and important victory. It’s fantastic.
There are still very few people vaccinated, here in the United States and around the world. The implementation was complicated, frustrating and unfair. Is still. Governments can still make A lot of Better. But more people are getting the injection every day. In fact, Friday broke vaccination records in the US and the EU.
Without a doubt, this is something to celebrate.
Here’s what else happened this week.
Search
The coronavirus is threatening a comeback. Here’s how to stop it.
The number of vaccines is increasing, but so are the variants of the coronavirus. The pandemic is not over yet, but there are ways to make the next phase better than the last. (Apoorva Mandivalli / The New York Times)
Coronavirus reinfection will soon become our reality
As the virus evolves and time passes, we are likely to see more coronavirus reinfections. See how this can work. (Katherine J. Wu / The Atlantic)
Coronavirus spreads easily in gyms when people don’t wear masks
A new CDC report this week looked at outbreaks of COVID-19 connected to gyms. They found that indoor gym classes, which did not require the use of masks, allowed the virus to spread easily. (Amina Kahn /The Los Angeles Times)
Development
Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine supported by independent FDA committee
A single injection vaccine received a unanimous green light from an FDA committee on Friday. The meeting came after an FDA report released earlier this week confirmed Johnson and Johnson’s conclusions about their vaccine. (Nicole Wetsman / The Verge)
Modern ready to test version of the vaccine COVID-19 aimed at a worrying variant
Moderna is preparing to test a version of its vaccine that directly targets a specific strain of the virus. The company’s existing vaccine does not work as well against this variant, so they are developing a new version. (Damian Garde and Matthew Herper / STATE)
The growing evidence that COVID-19 vaccines can reduce transmission, explained
When testing vaccines, companies looked to see if vaccines could prevent people from getting sick. And all authorized vaccines do a great job of keeping people out of the hospital and alive. But large clinical trials are not designed to see how they can prevent people from spreading the disease from one person to another. It is a big question and one that researchers (and everyone else) are eager to find out. (Kelsey Piper / Vox)
Perspectives
In all the volunteering opportunities I participated in, you made friends at the camp, formed fast alliances. Doing that day, when you didn’t even know who had been vaccinated and who hadn’t, seemed aggressive and dangerous. Even keeping the door open for the person behind you on the orientation tour can breach the necessary distance. I couldn’t quietly whisper to my shift buddy about who was trying to cut and who was about to get out of control.
– Irin Carmon writes about her experience as a local safety of the COVID vaccine in Brooklyn for Intelligencer.
More than numbers
For the more than 113,507,393 people worldwide who have had a positive result, may their path to recovery be smooth.
To family members and friends of the 2,519,257 people who died worldwide – 510,467 of those in the United States – their loved ones will not be forgotten.
Be safe, everyone.