May 2021
A newsletter of Zion Hill Baptist Church
THE LIU (pronounced LEE-UU)
Overcoming the Challenges of Fear
O
ver the past year and a half, the COVID-19 virus has challenged our lives in so many ways. We have had to redefine how we interact with strangers, coworkers, friends, and most importantly our family members. We have even dealt with social, economic, health, educational, spiritual and psychological challenges. The list goes on-and-on. Through it all, we maintained the hope that change would one day come. The change that we hoped for came in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine. These hailstorms of challenges were the introduction of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, both of which have a 95% efficacy in protecting us from contracting
the COVID-19 virus. Both vaccines are equally effective in reducing our risk of dying and/or becoming severely ill. Hope derived from these discoveries came with much trepidation causing increased doubt and fear about taking these new vaccines, especially within the African American community. The concerns raised about these vaccines included trust in the American Healthcare System, adverse effects on our health, and the possibility of having a fatal reaction. These concerns have become the new challenges for many of us. After contracting COVID-19 in December of 2020, I found myself pondering many of these same concerns. I concluded that taking the vaccine was in my best
interest. My decision came from diligently researching the possible side effects, and finally coming to a personal conclusion that this act would enable me to interact with my family and friends without the fear of infecting them or my being infected by them. Since then, I have taken both doses of the Pfizer vaccine with little or no side effects. The Pfizer vaccine is now available for ages 16 years and above and administered in a series of two doses, three weeks apart. The Moderna vaccine is available for ages 18 years and above and administered in a series of two doses, four weeks apart. It is important to note that CDC says people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after the single dose. Some of the possible side effects may include, pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headaches, muscle pains, chills, fever, and nausea. These two vaccines are proven safe and effective. The FDA and CDC had paused the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to some health concerns; however, after conducting further studies, it is has been lifted and is now available for people 18 years and older. These two reputable organizations concluded that the benefits of the vaccinations outweigh the risks of vaccinated persons with this one dose vaccine of getting blood clots. You are considered fully (continued on page 3)