Disclaimer: Please note that the words below are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my family, friends, employer, etc.
Before I start, I want to say that I am pro-vaccine.
From the time I was a baby, I’ve received many vaccinations—Polio, measles, mumps, rubella, all the usual shots they give to kids. I think I will always be amazed that we managed to stomp out Polio, a disease that was still a very real threat when my parents were young.
When I heard there were vaccines coming out for COVID-19, I was thrilled. I eagerly waited my turn as New York slowly rolled out the Pfizer and Moderna shots, prioritizing certain professions and age groups first. It was like waiting to get my braces taken off, and I began to look toward the future with hope that life will finally start to look normal again.
As someone who has both an autoimmune disease and anemia, I was able to get vaccinated before my age bracket opened by getting a doctor’s note. I got my second Pfizer shot the day after people my age were allowed to get the vaccine. Though the second shot gave me more side effects than the first, I was glad I got it done and did my part in protecting myself and others against COVID-19. (Protecting the most vulnerable is also important to me as one of my closest friends was in the hospital for several months after COVID-19 ravaged her body and almost killed her.)
The feel-good sense of accomplishment I felt after getting vaccinated was soon deflated, however, when I discovered something that I wish I knew before I was vaccinated: though the vaccines were not produced using stem cells from aborted fetal tissue, they were tested on cell lines from aborted fetuses.
This information did not sit right with me as someone who is pro-life, and I wish more people knew about it. Over the past few months, I rolled my eyes at the various conspiracy theories I saw on social media about the vaccine, but no one had actually mentioned this real issue.
Once I found out, I felt obligated to let others know, which is why I am writing this blog post. To be clear, I’m not telling you what to do. I just want to make sure you are making an informed decision.
There is certainly hope that an ethically-tested vaccine may be released by the end of 2021 at the earliest, and I would strongly recommend that if you choose to get vaccinated, go for that one. We cannot reach herd immunity until more people are vaccinated!
In the meantime, you can continue to do your part in protecting society’s most vulnerable by wearing a face mask, washing your hands, and continuing to social distance. Though I am vaccinated, I will be continuing to take these measures as the vaccine does not prevent you from catching COVID-19, it will just prevent you from getting a severe case that will land you in the hospital.
You can also sign Children of God for Life’s petition to stop the use of aborted fetal cell lines for medical products. If there is enough demand for both ethical manufacturing and testing of vaccines, then hopefully the pharmaceutical companies will take note and change their processes.
Whatever you decide or have decided to do regarding the vaccine, I hope you are safe, healthy, and doing well. Let’s continue to love our neighbor—whether fully grown or unborn—during this pandemic.
Blessings,
Nicole
Further reading/Resources:
Children of God for Life – Guidance on Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine
Charlotte Lozier Institute – What You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine
John Piper touches on this topic here: https://youtu.be/cwWjf86FiCg
Nikita Says 💛 