We’ve all seen the devastation of the loss of life – individuals who have lost loved ones without being able to have their final moments together. We’ve seen the effect it has had on healthcare professionals working tirelessly and thanklessly to get us through this. It’s about doing my bit. It’s about saying, ok there is one thing that I can do that can help us get over this and that is getting the vaccine.

I chose to become a Patient and Family Partner because I was looking for volunteer opportunities and I wanted the opportunity to put my voice forward as a member of the St. Joseph’s community, and be a representative of that community and a voice of that community to share with the hospital the thoughts of the community.

Being a person of colour within that community, I feel it important to represent, share and state that I have had my two shots of the vaccine – woo hoo! I feel a lot more confident in getting back to pre-2020 activities and reconnecting with family, friends – getting back to doing the things that I enjoyed doing before COVID-19 hit.

I appreciate that some people may not want the vaccine because of various stories that they’ve heard and what they’ve read on the internet, but what I would strongly recommend is people speak to their family care provider about any concerns they may have.

Yes, there are some risks with getting the vaccine, as there are with any form of surgery, any form of medication. Have that conversation with your family care provider and take the medical advice that is given. Ask the questions and do your research. You need only look at where there are rising numbers and it’s unfortunately within communities who have not yet had the vaccine. The proof is in the pudding that while you may have some doubts about it, having the vaccine does save lives and it does help towards the eradication of the virus.

To me it was a no-brainer. Thankfully scientists across the world fought to get a vaccine, it was tested, it was deemed to be safe. Given my age bracket, there were a lot of people who had received the vaccine before me. I thank them for being the forerunners. That just built the confidence I had in it.

You’re not going to go skydiving without a parachute. And not having the vaccine at this stage is similar to that. You’re taking unnecessary risks for yourselves and others.

If I was admitted to hospital, I would want to know that the practitioner looking after me had enough confidence within our health system to get the vaccine. I would want to know that they had been vaccinated so any potential risk to myself has been reduced.

We all owe it to each other to get the vaccine, take every single step possible to protect each other.

It’s important that we thank everyone who has had their vaccine for doing their part. I also think it’s immensely important that we thank our health-care practitioners for staying the course even during the darkest days. Just think to yourself now: We have ridden the seas of an epic storm. The waters are calming, the ships coming in to dock, and we have then the chance of enjoying the light at the end of the tunnel that is living again in a COVID-free world.

Andy Harris-Cartwright is a Patient and Family Partner at St. Joseph’s. He got his COVID-19 vaccine. Get yours.

As told to Ana Gajic. This interview has been edited and condensed.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine here.