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As the primary caretaker of her immunocompromised mother, who sewed and donated more than 2,000 masks at the start of the pandemic, Hall said capturing the moment was a major step in releasing some of the anxiety that had gripped her. mental health in the past year. “I shared a selfie because it was the first time I could look forward to the future in a year,” Hall told CNN Business.
As the vaccine rollout has spread to more people across the country, vaccine selfies have spread to social media and chat apps. Whether caught at the time of the shot, on the road trip, or in front of an official banner at a vaccination site, people are celebrating and broadcasting that they are doing their part to help stop the spread of the virus.
Some vaccination sites distribute stickers, much like the ones voters receive in polls on election day, as well as setting up selfie booths and encouraging people to share photos online with various hashtags, such as #IGotTheShotNYC and #ImABigShot.
As with any selfie, the trend is based on our desire to share positive moments in our lives, not to mention a certain self-promotion impulse. But the motivations behind vaccine selfies go far beyond: it’s seen as a way for the selfie taker to signal loved ones that they are safe and vaccinated, a tool for spreading as part of a group. proprietary and a potential way to help dispel the vaccine. skepticism in others.
For Kate Caudill, who works for the federal government on Covid Relief Loans and volunteers for the New York Medical Reserve Corps in a vaccination capsule, posting a selfie was important “to encourage others that I felt well and confident “after receiving a dose left over at the end of a day in January.
Partly in an effort to reduce vaccine hesitancy, some vaccination sites make it easy for people to take and share selfies by creating a backdrop similar to what can be seen at an event on the Red carpet. Virtua Health, a New Jersey-based nonprofit health care system that began vaccinating its own workforce in mid-December, has been one of the organizations to take this approach.
“From day one, we realized that our frontline employees were eager to document this major moment in their lives, so we created a ‘selfie station’ in the observation area of our clinic,” said Daniel Moise, Director of Communications and Engagement at Virtua Health. “It instantly became popular, with most of the employees stopping to take a photo.”
A month later, Virtua Health became a healthcare partner for one of New Jersey’s mega-vaccination sites and set up a similar station near the exit of the building. People who receive their immunizations can take photos on their way out and pose with portable signs that say “I had my COVID-19 vaccine!” and “First dose!” The facility asks people to use antibacterial wipes when handling paddles, he added.
“We hope that by posting a photo on social media, guests encourage their friends and family to follow their lead,” Moise said. “We know there are people who are reluctant to vaccinate; maybe seeing these celebratory photos of people they know and trust will reduce their reluctance – or at least open the door to the conversation.”
While vaccine selfies can be a showcase of civic action, there’s an element of exclusivity, too. “In this case, he also has a sense of status, because access to the vaccine is limited,” said Karen Kovacs North, professor of digital social media at the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California.
“A lot of people report feeling jealous or even depressed when they see other people getting vaccinated and they don’t even know when they will be eligible,” Klaiman said. “This is exacerbated by the inequality in the way the vaccine has been administered. People who don’t have time to track down dates may be envious when they see others having them.”
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