“After I got it I was like, ‘okay – what’s going to happen?’ I was waiting for something crazy, looking at everybody else and seeing if anything is happening to them.”
Keira Whited is 23-year-old Bermudian, working as a nurse in Toronto, Ontario.
Toronto has recorded more than 4,000 COVID-19 deaths (as of December 16). And according to CP24: A Toronto Daily News the death toll continues to increase.
On Tuesday, December 15 CP24 reported 20 COVID-19 deaths and on Wednesday – 43 deaths. Keira says Toronto is one of the most infected places with COVID-19 in the world.
After Graduating from Cape Brenton University in May 2019 – with a Bachelor of Science Nursing – Keira went to work at Belmont House: Long Term Care Facility – in Toronto.
The Long Term Care Facility was chosen by the University Health Network (UHN), who on Monday, December 14 – gave the first COVID-19 vaccine in Ontario. The vaccine was administered at The Michener Institute for Education at UHN, which has been set up as the pilot site to give vaccinations to healthcare workers from long-term care homes throughout Toronto – like Keira’s job. Everyone was given a choice to take the vaccine.
Keira volunteered.
“When we got the email saying that my job was chosen to be apart of the pilot project for it – I got excited and I said yeah – let’s go for it.”
On December 16, 2020, at 23 years old – Keira received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“You can feel the nerves and the excitement in the room.”
The COVID-19 vaccine Keira took is a two dose vaccine called Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Her next appointment will be 21 days after the first injection. She says side effects may be more likely after the second dose.
Volunteering to take the vaccine was not instant for Keira. She took her time to consider.
“It came out really quick which is a little bit scary,” she says. “I was nervous to get it, not going to lie, I was 50/50 on it for a long time.”
Fellow nurses and co-workers at her job made the decision not to take the vaccine. And for those who did decide – like Keira- a consent form was signed.
She stated that all her friends and co-workers who have taken the vaccine feel fine: no fever, no headaches.
“The only reaction so far is a sore arm.”
“A vaccine should never be mandatory,” she emphasised. “That’s totally a person’s right to choose.” She says, to get the vaccine or to not get the vaccine is a risk.
Working in the City of Toronto, in a high risk facility, Keira decided to take the vaccine. But she says if she was back home – she may have chosen differently.
“I’m not sure – I may have had a totally different opinion if I lived back home,” she says. “If the cases back home continue to rise at the rate that they’re rising – I think it may be a good idea.”
Bermuda’s COVID-19 case numbers have risen drastically high in the month of December. Keira says the small community can increase transmission rates.
Keira’s next appointment for the second dose of the vaccine is January 6. For her, taking the vaccine is a risk and not taking the vaccine is a risk, but ultimately – it should be your own personal choice.
“So far, so good, on my end.”
