Marketing Campaigns are essential to nearly every business and incorporated organization. Without marketing, how would we know what works? More importantly, what doesn’t? Young Pros has helped to create some incredible content-creation campaigns over the years, and we are excited to have just finished with our most recent efforts!
I’m going to briefly highlight our current initiative with the parish. Full disclaimer: this one might piss you off.
I am very sorry if it does, because that is certainly not my intention. But I’m writing about it anyway, because it’s something we’re excited about, and I think we are allowed to be excited whenever we do good work…
“My Shot Matters, Your Shot Matters” is a public marketing campaign, aimed at increasing the rates of Covid-19 vaccinations in our area, so that we might finally reach a point of relative safety.
I know this is a ‘Hot-Button Topic’, and I understand some of the hesitancy and some of the concerns that people have for and with this vaccine.
As I awaited my appointment at the pharmacy to receive my 2nd dose, a sudden sliver of paranoia crept into my mind… a few minutes go by, and still the same… a few more minutes, and I’m on Google rereading articles and medical documentation for the tenth time.
For no matter how much preparation and confidence I gained from my research, I would retroactively lose nearly all of it from the egregious amount of opinionated disinformation scattered throughout social media.
But my foremost concern had nothing to do with Microchipping, Bill Gates, Fake News, Magnetic Biceps, or 5G cell service.
I was not skeptical of the celerity at which these vaccinations were created and introduced to the public. There was no anxiety for the potential (and completely false) long-term side effects, and I wasn’t too terribly worried about my reproductive organs, either (the most entertaining conspiracy that I’ve spotted).
No, my unease was from the VERY REAL and VERY VERY RARE side effect of developing Myocarditis or Pericarditis, “inflammation of the heart muscle,” and “swelling and irritation of the thin saclike membrane surrounding the heart,” respectively. Neither of these two conditions are considered medical emergencies, and will typically resolve themselves over time; but, if you do develop one or both of these conditions and forgo proper care and precaution, there’s a possibility of damaging the heart, which might present subsequent issues later in life.
Specifically, development of these conditions have almost unanimously been seen in males ages 16-29, typically 3-5 days following the 2nd vaccination dose. Current research shows the rate at approximately 40 to 1,000,000… pretty good odds.
But, there were other factors I had to consider. When I was twenty-four years old, I was diagnosed with a non-threatening heart arrhythmia as well as hypertension (high blood pressure). After five years, I’ve become quite accustomed to catering my lifestyle choices. When it came to the Covid-19 vaccination and its atypical, potential side effects, these conditions translated in my mind into one thing: at Higher Risk.
Perhaps that’s why I found myself hyperventilating in my bathroom, fifteen minutes before my appointment, breathing into a towel while internally battling my illogical emotions with factual assurances that I would be okay. Unfortunately, I was unable to calm down, and arrived at the pharmacy 10 minutes late in a state of discombobulated caution. After checking in, I sat down and waited for the pharmacist to meet me in the waiting area and administer the shot.
I think he could sense some of my fear and resignation, so he began by explaining the process in full detail, and ended by asking “Do you have any questions for me before I proceed?”
I unloaded!
I hit that poor man, Jude, with 20 Questions before he had enough time to take his next breath. And after all said and done, he provided answers to every single question, assuring me that this vaccine is as safe as any Polio, Chickenpox, or Measles vaccination I might have had as a baby. He provided incredible comfort, informing me of all the potential warning signs I should be aware of regarding Myocarditis and Pericarditis.
As my nerves began to ease, and the tension in my stomach loosened, Mr. Jude said something that gave me the confidence to just get this all over with!
“I’m really sorry for taking up so much of your time, and for attacking you with such a long list of questions and concerns… I’ve felt pretty ridiculous for acting like this, and for feeling this way,” and Jude calmly replied, “Mr. Shaw, your self-regard is totally understandable. If I’m being honest, I’m surprised more people aren’t reacting this way. With so many lies and false information out there right now, it is a wonder to me that people aren’t aren’t arriving in a state of mild hysterics. Unfortunately, I think the people who are worried are deciding to take their chances without the vaccine, rather than speaking with someone like me or their physician for advice. You did the right thing, man, and I will gladly spend the rest of my day with you, if that’s what it takes to get you ready.”
That was well over a month ago! And though I did end up exhibiting some of the symptoms I was concerned about (which resulted in a trip to the E.R. to run some blood work, an EKG, and take X-Rays) it turned out that my heart was perfectly fine and dandy! That’s your worst-case scenario: Unless you have an allergy to its ingredients, everything will be fine.
I guess what I’m trying to say, and what we can all be working towards is, try to be as safe as you can. All of us have a part to play in the history of this pandemic and the future of this country, and it starts with consideration for others as well as for yourself. Speak with a Medical Professional, conduct credibly-sourced research, and try to keep an Open & Empathetic Mind.
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