Bundaberg business owner Michael Boon explains why he rolled up his sleeve to get Covid jab

“I can understand that it would be very scary and make a lot of people nervous, but this is something that’s been tested as fully as any other medication we receive.”

People across the country are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves and get their covid vaccine to help fight the pandemic.

Younger demographics in particular are being urged to do their part and one Bundy local has opened up about his experience.

24-year-old business owner Michael Boon received his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the end of June.

He said for him, getting the jab was a “no-brainer”.

“I’m incredibly happy to be vaccinated, I’m really happy I got the opportunity to be able to have it and it’s just a step closer to getting our lives back to how things were pre-covid,” he said.

“Ultimately for me I believe it’s something we have to do to get our lives back to how they were pre-covid, by getting the vaccine you limit the chance of spreading it or having a serious reaction if you do get it.

“It was almost a no-brainer just to be make sure I protect myself and anyone in the community who can’t get it, and I’ve got some family members who aren’t at the best health so it was really about protecting everyone else and myself against it.”

Mr Boon said he had booked an appointment at the TAFE clinic and was told the vaccine available was Pfizer.

Other than a sore arm around the injection site, he said he didn’t get any side effects that weren’t expected.

Mr Boon said most of the people he’d told about his vaccination were supportive that he’d got it.

“99.9 per cent of people have said it’s fantastic and good to see and have been positive about it,” he said.

“Of course there are going to be those few who believe a lot of what they read online, but for me I’m completely happy with the decision I’ve made.”

He said getting a covid vaccine was “completely essential” to getting life back to normal.

Mr Boon shared some words of encouragement for people considering rolling up their sleeves to get a vaccine.

“We don’t want to have to keep going into these lockdowns that are causing stress and angst for people,” he said.

“It’s a really hard thing to try and convince someone to do something like this and I can understand that it would be very scary and make a lot of people nervous, but this something that’s been tested as fully as any other medication we receive.

“It’s a no-brainer really, if you want life to get back to normal and live the way we want to it’s the first line we have to go down to do that.”