Q: I’m not sure if vaccines are safe. Should I just wait before I get immunized?

A: If you are feeling any sort of hesitancy about getting the vaccine, please reach out to a public health professional.

Michelle Patterson, a clinical co-ordinator at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), has been administering vaccines to children and adults for the past six years, and knows first-hand the importance of immunization. 

With a background in public health as a registered nurse, Patterson is now working in COVID-19 immunization clinics, and understands how important it is to be prepared to provide accurate information for anyone who might be reluctant to get vaccinated. 

“If you talk to a public health nurse, they can probably answer any question that you can come up with, and I would hope that you would feel much more confident about being immunized,” said Patterson. 

“Don’t wait this out. If everyone were to try and wait this out, COVID will only continue to wreak havoc on our world and our country and our province. Instead of the wait-and-see approach, talk to someone. Get that information you need and get vaccinated,” said Patterson.

In addition to her co-ordinating duties with the College of Nursing, Patterson is currently completing a course-based Master of Nursing program at USask. From the first course she took, she quickly became interested in the subject of vaccine hesitancy, a topic that has since been named by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 threats to public health.

For anyone who may still have questions or doubts about vaccines, Patterson urges you to reach out.

“Come to the vaccine clinics with your questions and don’t be afraid to ask,” said Patterson. “If you are worried about anything, ask a health-care professional. We are here for you and your concerns, and we can give you accurate information.”

Over the past year USask has been uniting across Saskatchewan to help fight the spread of COVID-19 and to keep our communities safe. Now, each of us has another opportunity: get vaccinated and protect the pack. 

All approved COVID-19 vaccines are—like the many other vaccines you’ve received in your life—safe, proven, and effective ways to stop the spread of viruses like COVID-19.

We are getting closer to being back on the campus, and that becomes a reality once those who can get vaccinated do so.

As the Government of Saskatchewan continues to roll out the vaccination schedule, watch for your age group to become eligible, and for details on how to get vaccinated.