More than a million Rhode Island residents have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine. We’ll all be safer as more and more people get vaccinated.

If you’re still on the fence, read what fellow Rhode Island residents had to say about why getting the vaccine was important to them.

 

I want to be protected against the COVID 19 virus, and I wanted to minimize the risk of spreading the virus to others. I am fully vaccinated. I had a good experience. Getting the vaccine was painless, and I had no side-effects. I now feel much more comfortable getting out and getting back to a regular routine.

Joyce Healey-Sirois,
Community Health Worker, Tufts Health RITogether

 

I made an appointment to get the vaccine as soon as it was available to me. My dad requires 24-hour care at home and I’m one of his caregivers. I got the vaccine so I could continue to help my Mom with his care. They cared for me, so I got the vaccine to care for them.

Alice Msumba,
Senior Manager, Contract Oversight, RI Medicaid

 

My reasons for getting the vaccine start with my family. My father is 88 and my mother-in-law is 96, and I wanted to be sure that I did everything I could to keep them safe and healthy. And then I have two grandchildren ages 2 and a half and 9 months and wanted to be sure that I got the vaccine to protect them as well!! And lastly, I consider myself a young old person—I am 65 but still like to snowboard and bike. Based upon my age and other health issues, I am in the at-risk category and wanted to keep up with my activities! For all of these reasons, getting the vaccine was the right decision for me.

Domenic Delmonico,
Executive Director, Tufts Health RITogether

 

I decided to get the vaccine because I wanted to be able to spend time with my parents and friends without having to worry about me being the reason they may have gotten sick. I also wanted to be a good example for my son who is in college and was hesitant about getting vaccinated. He realized that the side effects were very minimal and decided to get it as well, which made me so happy.

Wendy Manon,
Community Relations outreach representative

I got the vaccine to protect myself, my family, and friends from COVID-19. I’m looking forward to indoor visits and hugging every one of them in a few months when we’re all fully vaccinated.

Rob Borkowski,
Editor