A personal story: Why Greg got his COVID-19 vaccine

Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Greg Cochran is, by all standards, the epitome of healthy.

As a longtime personal trainer and fitness enthusiast, Greg understands the role good health plays in everyday life. For him, that means exercising, eating healthy and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle to help prevent or combat illness. And, until recently, preventative vaccinations weren’t a part of Greg’s plan.

But when he started seeing friends and coworkers around him getting sick with COVID-19, Greg says he began to rethink his stance.

“These were active people – many of them in great shape,” says Greg. “Seeing them so sick and struggling to survive and get better…that was really eye-opening. And unfortunately, not everyone did.”

The final straw, Greg says, was when a close family member got COVID-19. Unable to be there with her while she was in the hospital alone, Greg felt helpless. That’s when he decided to do the one thing he knew he could do to help – get vaccinated himself.

“I compare it to the use of a tourniquet,” Greg says, describing a tool that first responders often use to help stop bleeding and reduce the impact of the wound. “While the vaccine isn’t guaranteed to prevent me from getting COVID-19, it can help reduce its severity and my chance of dying.”

“In the end, my decision to get vaccinated wasn’t a political one,” Greg adds. “It’s about protecting my health, protecting my family and protecting my community.”

Visit nghs.com/covid-vaccine for information about the Delta variant, where to find vaccines and some other frequently asked questions surrounding vaccines.