Guest commentary by Erin Wise
I am a hospitalist. That means that I am the physician you see when you are in the hospital. I have the unique privilege and responsibility to enter into an individual’s story at some of their most vulnerable moments. It is here that I tell patients about their new cancer or their failing heart. It is here that I talk to families about how their loved one is dying. It is here that I help people navigate some of life’s most difficult decisions, weighing the risk and the benefits of a treatment with quality of life. It is a true privilege to do this work. It is here that I get to use my talents, combining my intellect and problem-solving skills with my compassion and love for people, to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
It would be an understatement to say that my job has been unusually challenging this year. We – myself and my physician colleagues – didn’t start out 2020 knowing anything about COVID-19. We had to learn its deadly patterns at the same time that we were fighting for the lives of our patients. We showed up and leaned in, knowing that the virus could claim our lives as well. We adjusted to ever-changing safety protocols to protect ourselves and the vulnerable in our care. We saw our hospitals fill up and overflow. We worked across state lines and hospital systems to get our sickest patients access to intensive care beds. We made plans for how to ethically ration ventilators should we get to that place of true desperation. And in the midst of all of this, we used our social media platforms and connections to help educate the public on how to protect themselves.
Like so many of you, I have prayed for a way out of this pandemic. I have prayed for relief for those who were fighting for every single breath, those who were dying alone in hospital rooms, those who were out of work and couldn’t afford food and those who were overwhelmed with loneliness and isolation. As the psalmist says in 121:1: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
I believe that God uses each of our talents and skills to God’s purposes. It is not hyperbole for me to say that the development of not just one but several vaccines, in such a short time span, is a miracle. It took the foundation of years of mRNA and vaccine research coupled with the financial and logistical support of both government and pharmaceutical companies to accomplish this momentous task. But, make no mistake, the fact that we have three vaccines currently available in the U.S. that exceeded our goals for effectiveness is nothing shy of a miracle. But that miracle, that gift, much like the gospel, is useless to us if we do not receive it.
I have heard from many who have expressed concern about taking a novel vaccine. I have heard concerns about the speed of development, the unknowns of possible long-term effects and concerns about use of fetal cell lines in research. Many of the questions and concerns raised are good ones. The scientific community has worked hard to try to get high quality, real-time information to the public (check out some great resources below). At the same time, we have been greatly hindered by the spread of misinformation.
Unfortunately, many remain hesitant or completely opposed to getting vaccinated. Sometimes that is because of misinformation. Sometimes that is for other reasons. If you are one of those who are hesitant or resistant, I would humbly ask you to pause for a moment. Would you picture someone that you love who is vulnerable. Someone who is older or who has a compromised immune system. Maybe for you, it is someone who has other long-term medical conditions such as obesity, heart failure, COPD or diabetes. Maybe it’s someone in your family or your congregation. Would you picture them and consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 25 when he is ushering the righteous into the Kingdom of Heaven: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. … Truly, I say to you as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.”
Would you prayerfully consider what it would mean for you to serve the vulnerable around you by helping to protect them? Getting vaccinated is not just about protecting yourself; it is about protecting the vulnerable around us. It is about helping all of those who have suffered this past year. And if you have been vaccinated, would you be willing to share your reasons for being vaccinated with others around you who remain hesitant?
Here are a couple resources I’ve found helpful:
Christians and the Vaccine
This is one of my favorite sites addressing the major issues I have heard around vaccine hesitancy. It is a series of short videos addressing specific questions, and also interviews with pastors and scientists.
Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist
Facebook is her primary platform and the easiest to navigate (but for those who prefer another option, here is non-Facebook website). Emily Smith, M.D., is an epidemiologist and a lover of the church. She has written extensively and thoroughly on all things COVID-19 related. She consistently has up-to-date science with links to resources. Please check it out.
ERIN WISE, M.D., is an internal medicine and pediatric hospitalist living and working in Minneapolis. When not taking care of patients in the hospital, you will find her hanging out with her husband and four kids reading, playing games and exploring nature.