Trust medical experts when they tell you to get the COVID-19 vaccine

Often times when I start to tell my own story, I’ve got to back up and start with my dad. He was a small town family doctor in Hartsville, South Carolina. He was beloved by his patients, not necessarily for his profound clinical acumen, but because he genuinely cared about them.

He was a great listener, and always took that extra time at the bedside. Don’t get me wrong, my dad was very good at his job, but ultimately what made him so effective is that his patients loved and trusted him.

You see, the relationship one has with their health care provider is not unlike any other relationship in that trust is an essential pillar for success.

As an ER physician, much of my day is spent “zoomed in” so to speak. Zoomed into the problem in front of me. That problem varies moment to moment and could look like a stroke, a heart attack, a broken bone, string-ray barb or gunshot wound. But when I zoom out, a bigger problem that I consistently see is that many folks don’t have a relationship with a healthcare provider they trust. It’s not that healthcare providers are untrustworthy, it’s that there are too few of them and access to them continues to be a problem.

So where does that dilemma leave us? And how does that manifest amid a global pandemic? From my perspective, it ends up looking a lot like fear, misinformation, distrust, and panic. I’ve seen an awful lot of internet experts over the past year and a half- and friends, that is not a good thing.

What your medical community is asking you to do right now is to trust them.

Trust them when they tell you that COVID-19 is a very serious and very preventable illness.

Trust them when they tell you that wearing a mask will reduce transmission.

Trust them when they tell you vaccination is safe and effective.

Trust them when they tell you that they are exhausted and may not have the reserves to fight like this for another year.

Your questions and concerns are valid and important, but please trust us when we answer them.

Today, I’m asking you to trust me the same way you would if you were laying on a hospital gurney in my care. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself, your family and your community.

There is a breaking point, and the healthcare system is closer to reaching it than you may think.

My dad passed away 10 years ago, but I can easily imagine what he would say to his patients if he were practicing today.

He’d say, “I want you to get this vaccine because I care about you.”

And you know what? I bet they’d trust him.

Dr. Luke Baxley is Assistant Director of Emergency Medicine at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.