Some people suffer from vaccine guilt

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a lot of cases, securing a COVID-19 vaccination appointment is like winning the golden ticket. However, for some, the vaccination relief is followed by guilt after getting the shot.

"They can feel a little guilty, that’s okay, in time as they realize that they are now insulated to a large degree against a very nasty situation that is developing COVID-19," Dr. Jim Jackson said, "They’re going to feel good, and in time their loved ones are going to get the vaccine."

Dr. Jim Jackson is a psychologist and the assistant director of the ICU Recovery Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He said some people who've received the COVID-19 vaccine are now suffering from vaccine guilt. "But if you feel guilty, it’s not the end of the world, right? There are a lot of things we do, that are sometimes the right thing, that we feel guilty about," Jackson said.

NewsChannel5's Alexandra Koehn talked to one college student who wanted to remain anonymous. He said he feels terrible that he got vaccinated out of state and that his family in Tennessee hasn't had the opportunity yet. Another anonymous Tennessean said they have vaccine guilt because they got the vaccine before their husband did.

"When you get on an airplane, one of the things that you hear immediately is, if we have some turbulence is, 'if the oxygen mask drops down put yours on first and then take care of someone else...' that concept holds true in this case," Jackson said.

Eventually, everyone will be able to get the shot, it just might take some time.

"It’s not just about you, it’s about a larger culture. It’s about the society. It’s about public health," Jackson said, "So if you can get vaccinated, take that opportunity and in so doing, you become part of the solution."