Go Ahead, Share Your Vaccine Selfie

Three days ago, I received the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. As a pediatrics resident working in New York, I saw it as a glimmer of hope during an otherwise bleak winter. Before administering the shot, the nurse described the possible side effects and confirmed that I had no allergies. Then she asked what seemed like the next in a series of mandatory questions: Did I want to take my own picture while getting the vaccine, or should she ask someone else to do it?

“Vaccine selfies” have become ubiquitous on social media, but I was initially reluctant to share mine. Many people are (justifiably) disappointed that they have yet to gain access to the vaccines. While almost 10 million doses have been distributed in the United States to .” Meanwhile, COVID-19 deaths continue to mount, with more than 375,000 lives lost in the U.S. But before long, the vaccines will be available to the general public, and the biggest obstacle in the COVID-19 vaccination effort will eventually shift to skepticism. When that moment arrives, every photograph of someone receiving a shot will be a much needed vote of support.