"Once my mom pointed out..."

"Was never an anti-vaxxer but as a kid, I was always apprehensive because everyone was talking about the completely ridiculous link between vaccines and autism.

Once my mom pointed out I was autistic anyway I didn't really have any reason to worry anymore."

jt30799

Funny how that works. And side note: The way people use autism to score points and scare people with their anti-vaxx nonsense is horrible.

"My whole family..."

"My whole family, including my parents, are anti-vaxxers so I got out of having to get shots like the other kids at school. My parent told me that the shots were bad and dangerous, and as a kid who hated getting shots, how could that not be true? Pain = bad. Anyways, the internet calling anti-vaxxers crazy made me start to really question the reasoning as I got older, but I was still scared of vaccines because I didn't understand how they worked. After high school I decided that I would rebel and get vaccinated, the only problem was, I had no idea where to get vaccinated or how. I went to the on-site medical center on my school's campus but I got embarrassed and left.

Then, COVID hit, and I had the decision shoved in my face and there was no more running from these choices. My cousin stole some COVID vaccination cards so I had the option to use a falsified document in place of getting vaccinated, I declined the offer.

About a week later, I go to CVS to face my biggest fear and get my very first vaccine ever. In a horrible twist of fate, that very same day, my cousin who stole the cards died suddenly of COVID-19. That was a slap in the face like I have never felt in my life. He left behind a pregnant widow (found out she was pregnant after his passing) and an infant son. His death changed no one in my family's tune.

This weekend I'm going to the funeral to pay my respects. I will have to bite my tongue when my whole family barks about all their conspiracy theories about how he 'actually' died. Needless to say, I'm convinced more than ever, if you haven't yet been vaccinated, please do so."

meatgrandma

"Thankfully..."

"Grew up in an antivax household.

Got a bachelor's in biochem and was about two years into my Ph.D. in physiology when I finally got vaxxed. Took a lot of years of learning science and developing critical thinking skills.

Thankfully both of my siblings got vaxxed as adults too (they were smart and figured it out younger than me!).

Unfortunately, my mom is still anti-vax and won't get the covid vaccine. I'm immunocompromised and it's hard not to feel like she doesn't care about me when she refuses to get vaxxed (or wear a mask in public). No, I haven't seen her much in the last 1.5 years."

fresh_spring325

Understandably. It sounds like you're much better off, not to mention much safer.

"I look back..."

"This is embarrassing but... in 2016 I fell into the homeopathic/vegan/organic everything rabbit hole while pregnant with my first. Was terrified the shots may hurt him. Then I watched a PBS documentary on vaccines and changed my mind. I look back horrified for even considering not vaccinating him."

Cyn138

PBS is wonderful. We're glad to hear that you opened your heart and mind and educated yourself. It's never too late to learn.

"I didn't want the Covid vaccine..."

"I didn't want the Covid vaccine because like everyone else I said 'it's too soon to develop a vaccine'. I realized that over the last 25 years we've had medical advancements so large that this is just one more thing to add to the books."

jjqueens

This is true! Modern medicine is incredible! Who wouldn't want to benefit? Why wouldn't you?

"Talking..."

"Talking to nurses and doctors I'm friends with. They're obviously more educated than the media."

Euphoric281

Yes, they are. And not all media sources are created equally.

"I didn't want the Covid vaccine..."

"I didn't want the Covid vaccine, didn't care what anyone else did, I just wasn't gonna get it. Even after doing research and reviewing both sides, I still didn't like it. I have all my other vaccines, but something about the covid one bothered me. Then I saw covid destroy my grandmother's life. She got covid, went into a coma for 2 months, and came out on her own so we thought we were in the clear. Then in the span of 4 months, she declined so badly they recommended home hospice, only because they wanted her to be where she was comfy and cared for, and save us money at the same time because the last thing anyone needs is high bills on top of tragedy.

When she finally passed, I couldn't even process it. But a week and a half ago my sister tested positive for Covid in the same house, and it all came flooding back. I hid in my room, cried, and booked an appointment to get the first dose. I refuse to be the reason that happens to someone else. Get the covid vaccine. Please."

TiredTeen2020

"Never thought..."

"Never thought they didn't work or anything, but was much more in the 'personal freedoms' camp. I honestly just did decent research with an open mind, and I changed my opinion. And all this was BEFORE Covid."

gamedemon24

"Realizing..."

"Realizing that I'm not as smart as I think I am and listening to medical professionals and scientists."

Trucktub

"My mother..."

"I didn't know I was, is really the answer.

My mother was anti-vax, so I was never vaccinated. I started doing IT in a hospital and they asked for my vaccine record and I asked "My what?"

So they ran some tests and I got myself loaded up with the good stuff."

KhaosElement

And there you have it. We're happy these people have come around––every person who does helps us put this pandemic to rest even sooner. In the meantime, stay safe out there.

Have some stories of your own? Feel free to tell us in the comments below!