#WhyIGotTheShot - Tracey Mooradian

The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the world and changed each of our lives in different ways. As we continue to move forward, we must continue to work diligently in our efforts to promote health and safety in the workplace. Getting your vaccine is crucial and a valuable part of keeping you and your loved ones safe. The OGCA presents #WhyIGotTheShot, to share our member's stories and to focus on the “good” during the final stretch of this pandemic.

Tracey Mooradian, Health and Safety Manager at Eastern Construction, shares her story today and why she got her shot.

“When COVID hit, the government worked very closely with us. We were assigned as essential workers at Eastern Construction, which caused me to recognize a few things early on. I recognized that the virus was here to stay and could spread and evolve quickly. I also recognized that as a Health and Safety Manager, I am responsible for the safety of many people in my life and my workplace, so for me, the vaccine was a no-brainer.

In my mind, I am a high transmitter. I go to a lot of sites and see a lot of different people. I knew that the vaccine was an important piece to stop COVID and slow the virus down, and I wanted to do everything I could to prevent and minimize risk to others and myself.

Fortunately, I come from a company where our senior management is highly involved. Our COVID response team all worked extremely hard to make sure we got important information about the virus out promptly. We live in a country where vaccines are readily available to us for no cost. The best thing we could do for our teams was to communicate information to our workers on time so that they can do their research and make their own choice.

This is a choice, and it is a personal choice that only you can make. All you can do is educate yourself with credible sources and trust the science. I encourage everyone to do their research. The shot is the one key piece that is a choice and tool you have complete control over. You can choose to get it as an additional buffer from this virus and for your safety. All other COVID-19 protocols (masking, social distancing, etc.) are all reliant on other people and their actions as well as yours. We can't control what other individuals do when out in public. The vaccine is the only thing you have full control of, and only you can decide if you want to get vaccinated. This is a choice that is solely within your hands.”

*This interview has been edited and condensed.