I recently got my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. I went through the typical side effects of the vaccine: fatigue, sore arm, and a headache. I initially complained about it, but then I realized that I would much rather have these issues than a debilitating case of coronavirus. Getting this vaccine means that I will not have to worry about getting extremely sick, and it also lowers the chances of spreading this disease to someone more susceptible. It also means that I can now see my (already fully vaccinated) grandparents again in their own home without having to give them an elbow bump and then cautiously drawing a 6-foot bubble around them.

What this vaccine does not mean is that masks are an artifact or a thing of the past. Hopefully, they will be once we as a global community reach herd immunity, but for now, we still need to be extremely cautious around those who do not have this life-saving vaccine yet. So even if you are immune, wear a mask because you could still be saving someone’s life!