I’m a Black Traveler, Here’s Why I Choose to be Vaccinated #InformUniteHeal

When the first set of COVID-19 cases became widely known in the USA, I had just arrived in New York. I planned to travel and tour along the east coast but three days into my trip New York City was shutdown because the coronavirus had unprecedented risks to public safety. In a blink of an eye, I watched helplessly as all my travel work contracts got cancelled, and future plans disappeared.

As the news of COVID-19 continues to evolve, it’s important to me to follow the research and science around the virus. I follow COVID-19 protocols like wearing masks in public spaces; frequently washing my hands; and always having a COVID-19 packing kit (extra masks, hand sanitizer, soap, and Ziplock bags are found in every bag I own).

However, having access to a vaccine to curb the ever-growing challenges of this virus was, for me, the start of making a decision to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Knowing that the COVID-19 vaccines are developed using science that has been around for decades made me feel reassured.

As a travel consultant, I want to get back on the road, restart my travel contracts, and begin working again. With the travel industry hit so hard by the pandemic, I sometimes struggle to see how I can pivot and find work. The vaccination, in part, is a source of relief. But I’ll be the first to admit that it also feels like an added layer of complication to the already confusing and complex process that is travel these days.

I wondered if getting vaccinated would be a burden? Ultimately, I realized that getting the COVID-19 vaccine means reducing the risk of transmitting the virus to vulnerable communities in places I travel, as well as in my own local Black communities. Yes, getting vaccinated and doing covid tests add a layer of complexity. BUT if I can help to add a protective safe layer to myself and everyone around me then getting vaccinated doesn’t seem that complex anymore.

Another reason I chose to get vaccinated is the realization that travel vaccination is a not new thing. COVID-19 vaccines didn’t start the travel vaccine game. People get vaccinations and take certain medicines before entering various regions all the time. In fact, ten years ago I had to get vaccinated several times before I could travel to South America and Asia. I’ve taken yellow fever and rabies vaccines, plus anti-malaria medicine.

Under this context, along with having readily available scientific information about the COVID-19 vaccines, protecting myself and community is no longer complex. What’s complex is keeping up-to-date with the evolving nature of today’s travel industry. But informing myself about how COVID-19 vaccines work, uniting with other Black travelers to get vaccinated, and helping others becomes simple yet necessary. Choosing to be vaccinated is an empowering step for me to protect myself and heal from the devastation of this pandemic.