Former pharmacy tech, local Mom and Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce CEO/Executive Director Andrea Reay encourages those who are still unvaccinated to talk with their doctors about their vaccine concerns.
Reay made the plea at the chamber’s Airport Luncheon on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, which required quick fever checks at the door, completion of vaccination attestation forms and face masks for entry.
“Working in my family’s pharmacy for years, I saw firsthand how patients who followed the advice and guidance of their doctors and medical team had far better outcomes than those who ignored them,” Reay said at the luncheon.
She adds that there are many reasons why over 30% in our community still remain unvaccinated – misinformation, mistrust, complacency and access or convenience are a a few.
“Please just talk to your Doctor,” she said. “I had questions, fear, anxiety with receiving the vaccine, I talked to my medical team, and ultimately received my shot.”
“Together we can push through as a community, stay healthy and keep our economy moving forward,” Reay said. “It’s especially critical now that those who are able to receive the vaccine do so as the Delta variant has COVID cases up 59% in our community and there are those still unable to receive the vaccine.”
“My 11-year-old son has a heart condition, and asthma,” she added. “I want nothing more than for him to go back to school. To see his friends, to just be a kid. But, with multiple co-morbidities and the risk elevated, I don’t know if it’s worth the risk. He can’t receive the vaccine, but every person that does, reduces the chance that he, and others like him, will get sick or critically ill.”
“This isn’t a political issue or a moral issue, as some may try to spin, it’s a health issue and the best place to receive advice on health issues is in your doctor’s office.”
Watch Reay’s full statement below: