Physicians in DeKalb received Shot #1 of the Pfizer Vaccine on December 18 at St. Thomas Hospital in Murfreesboro.

Dr. Will Sherwood took time to answers important questions concerning the COVID vaccine.

Tell me about your decision to take the Covid-19 vaccine.

Dr. Will:  At 6 am last Thursday morning, I received word that the vaccine was at Rutherford – St Thomas Hospital.  I scheduled the earliest available time slot, 7 am Friday, December 18, 2020.  It was without hesitation.

Were you afraid?

Dr. Will:  No.  Emphatically no.  Every single day since March, I have walked into rooms to see patients with Covid-19.  Each time, I accept the risk of contracting this highly contagious disease. In my age bracket alone, there have been 60,000 cases in Tennessee and over 500 deaths from Covid-19.  That means I have close to a 1 in 100 chance of dying every time I treat a patient.  That chance of dying goes up the less healthy and the older you are.  80-year-olds have a 1 in 70 chance of dying.

What does the vaccine mean for eradicating Covid-19?

Dr. Will:  This is a war.  A war where over 300,000 Americans have died.  In that number are over 1,700 healthcare workers who have died caring for others.  This vaccine is just one tool.  It doesn’t mean I can’t get the virus.  It doesn’t replace an N95 mask.  It doesn’t make anyone Superman.  A vaccine is like being issued a bullet-proof vest.  It’s not 100%, but it’s something.  Studies are showing 90-95%.  Compared to 0, that is really something.

Do you think I should take the vaccine?

Dr. Will:  When the vaccine is available to you, you should.  If you are unwilling to take the vaccine, you are standing on the sidelines.  You become a pawn for the virus because you are doing nothing to stop it from infecting you and continuing to multiply and spread.  

Do you think there’s a Bill Gates chip in your arm now?

Dr. Will:  If there is, it’s going to be really boring for someone.  Unless they like fishing, and then they will have hit the jackpot.  Look, last Friday in the Covid Clinic at Family Medical Center, I saw 9 patients.  Of the 9, 6 tested positive and 3 were negative.  Of the 6 who have Covid-19, 4 were really sick.  Of those 4, one week later, 2 of them are now very sick and fighting for their lives.  Two weeks ago, a man in his 40s who was in the Covid wing at one of our hospitals took a turn for the worse and needed to be transferred into ICU.  They had to intubate him and fly him by helicopter to Huntsville because that was the nearest available ICU bed.  This vaccine gives us hope, gives us a weapon against Covid-19.  But we are all going to have to pull together if we want to win the war.  It’s a personal choice, and today I made mine.  It doesn’t make me a hero, it prepares me for battle.

CUTLINES:  Just put the pic with their name under it