Meet the Vaccine Hesitators

Some New York City college students fall into the vaccine hesitancy category. They haven’t gotten it and don’t plan to get vaccinated any time soon. Joanny Marmalejos, a 21-year-old Baruch College student, doesn’t want to be the odd-one-out. “I don’t want to be the only one out of my friends and family who receives it. Everyone is nervous about the side effects, so we all agreed to wait it out,” she said.

Others like 19-year-old Buffalo State college student Joel Manley and his family believe in conspiracy theories and are anti-vaxxers. “The government isn’t to be trusted so why would I let them inject me with something when I don’t even know what it is,” he said. Joel has made it clear that neither he nor his family will be getting vaccinated anytime soon. “My mom watched a video on WhatsApp that said the virus is just another form of population control and they’re going to start with the Blacks.”

People who hesitate about the vaccine fall into a number of categories according to Wendy King, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. She conducted a survey with working-age adults to see who was hesitant. The survey showed that 48 percent expressed hesitancy because of side effects. One-third didn’t trust the government, didn’t think they needed it, or were waiting to see if the vaccine was safe. Then there was the 14.5 percent who didn’t think the vaccine was safe at all.

Some college students fall into the category that questions safety. Brandon Joseph, a 20-year-old Nassau Community College, says he’s uncomfortable with the vaccine. “I’m big on knowing what I’m about to put in my body before it goes in. Until I fully know what’s in the vaccine and how it’ll affect me, I won’t be getting it,” he said.

Marie-Anne Fibluiel, a 20-year-old grocery worker also worries about what might happen to her. “It recently came out, so I don’t want to put anything in my body when I don’t know what it is,” she explained.

Yet they aren’t never-vaxers. Although they say they feel hesitant, Brandon and Marie-Anne say that they are more likely to get the vaccine once some time passes and they can do their own research.

New York public health and other government officials are encouraging people to get vaccinated. The city is offering free tickets to Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Bronx Zoo, NYC Ferry, and the Public Theater, and New York  Governor Andrew Cuomo created a lottery program called Vax & Scratch.  If you get a vaccine at a state site, you’ll get a $20 lottery ticket for the $5 Million Multiplier Lottery.

Not only are the city and state pushing incentives but so are Lyft and Uber. They’re offering free rides to those who need transportation to get vaccinated. All of this is to not only ensure vaccinations but to give back.

Although there are many deals being advertised, many people are still hesitant to roll up their sleeve. “I want to trust the vaccine, but with the history of how Black people are treated pertaining to the government, why would I?” said Buffalo State college student Joel Manley