At this point in the pandemic, the US is lucky enough to have a COVID-19 vaccine available to a lot of the country. There’s some irony in that statement when you consider how horribly and selfishly many Americans have acted over the course of the pandemic and yet we are one of a few countries who are able to administer the vaccine so quickly.

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen people defy the stay-at-home orders, refuse to wear masks, throw fits in grocery stores because of masks, continue partying with large groups and overall display how little they care about other people’s health.

With that being said, the fact that a good number of Americans are able to get the vaccine is amazing. However, there are still people willing to display just how selfish and ignorant they are. Many people have already decided that they aren’t going to get their vaccine because of outrageous theories and falsehoods they hold about what vaccines do.

Some people aren’t getting it simply out of protest, because they hold the belief that COVID-19 is a hoax. These are the people that helped prolong the pandemic, and unless they change their minds will continue to do so.

Ideally, we would get to a point where nearly every person in the US who has it available to them would get their vaccine. Unfortunately, if that doesn’t happen it will negatively affect the people who can’t get the vaccine at all. Right now most children under the age of 16 can’t get the vaccine which can be concerning as the weather gets better and teens start going out with their friends.

People with certain underlying medical conditions may not be able to get it as well. The availability of vaccines also can change depending on where you live in America. A poor roll-out design for the vaccine distribution has resulted in a lack of availability to low-income communities and reports show that wealthier people have been able to get the vaccine much faster.

The truth is that having the vaccine available to you is a privilege. But it is a privilege that you should take advantage of. This vaccine is probably the most important tool to help stop the pandemic. This will help prevent individuals from getting the virus, slow the spread and protect those who can’t be vaccinated.

Destiny Blanchard is a junior management major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or dblanchard@eiu.edu.