Why I Got My Third Dose of the Pfizer COVID Vaccine

Pfizer #1 Dec 2020.

Pfizer #2 Jan 2021.

Pfizer #3 Sept 2021. ✅

Thanks CDC Director Walensky for the opportunity to get a third dose as a health care worker.

I recognize that the data for the first two doses protecting against severe disease and death from the SARS-CoV-2 virus is excellent. We need more people to get vaccinated. And those who are should still be well protected.

The data also seems fairly strong for third doses, or “boosters,” for folks over 65 or who are immunocompromised.

I recognize that I am in neither of those categories. I am young and otherwise healthy.

I also recognize that third doses will not get us out of this pandemic.

So why get a third dose now?

I wish all of the third doses for health care workers were first doses in the arms of folks who have not yet been vaccinated. I do. That would be more effective from a public health standpoint than third doses for all health care workers.

The problem we face now is that the people whose arms I wish these shots would be going in are, more often than not, just unwilling to get vaccinated. That’s devastating for public health, and for our potential to get out of this pandemic.

I see this every day, as we ask our patients in the emergency department if they are vaccinated or are interested in getting vaccinated. The answer now is all too commonly outright refusal and sometimes anger or even hostility. Not curiosity. Not questions. Not that they have had difficulty with access or been waiting for a bit more time or information. Just “no.”

I see lots of patients with COVID in the emergency department, who are predominantly unvaccinated.

I also have seen far too many patients with COVID who are severely ill or dying, nearly all of whom are unvaccinated.

So at this point, I have a responsibility to protect myself not just from severe illness or death, but to minimize my chance of infection and even mild illness. I cannot risk even a mild infection or the possibility of bringing this virus home and transmitting the infection to my family, including my child who cannot yet be vaccinated. I cannot risk a mild infection which takes me out of work for 2 weeks and puts even further strain on our already over-stretched emergency department.

Our best protection for ourselves and for others will continue to be to get vaccinated, mask up, and follow public health precautions.

We all need to pitch in together to get to the finish line. Until then, we need all of the available shots going in arms that will take them.