Volunteer changes mind and gets vaccine after life-changing encounter with patient

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- When Laura Minnicks, a Red Cross volunteer at Med Center Health, first started volunteering she was hesitant to get the COVID vaccine. 

Then she had an experience with an elderly man getting the vaccine that forever changed her outlook. 

“He handed me the paperwork, he sat down in the chair for his vaccine. And I thought you know ‘I’m not sure what’s wrong can I help you sir?’ And he’s like ‘oh no, I am just so thankful to be here, my wife and I have been almost held captive here in our house since last March.’ He said we haven’t seen our children, we haven’t seen our grandchildren and he said I am so thankful to get this shot,” said Minnicks. 

After having that encounter, which happened on her first day volunteering, Minnicks changed her mind and signed up to receive her first dose. 

“I just thought, you know, I think I’m being very selfish because there’s so many people out there that want to get it and can’t. And here I have the opportunity to and I wasn’t even taking advantage of it,” Minnicks said. 

Ryan Sheldon, a pharmacist at Sheldon’s Pharmacy says he knows some people are hesitant about getting the vaccine because of how quickly it came out. But he said people shouldn’t worry. 

“They’re very safe and effective. All the trials so far have been great. We’ve been using these types of vaccinations for a long, long time. It just so happened that we were able to speed the process up on this one and push it forward for a great time of need,” said Sheldon. 

Minnicks said she is grateful to have the vaccine now, but wishes it would have been available sooner. Her sister, who lived in a nursing home, passed away from COVID and she wasn’t able to see her. 

“When she passed she was basically by herself, except with a medical team. So if we would have been able to have these vaccines six months ago, if she would be able to have the vaccine six months ago and I would be able to have the vaccine, maybe we would have been together when that happened,” said Minnicks. 

Minnicks said her sister lived a great life, and hopes her story encourages others to get the vaccine.