Stories of Triumph and Inspiration
Members of Faith share personal experiences that highlight God's love, mercy and guidance.
Bob Hawkinson
Dr. Robert (Bob) Hawkinson has the distinction of having been among the group who, in 1959, attended Faith Lutheran Church’s first service at its current location. He retired from his private dental practice in 2017 and is currently sharing his vast knowledge with students at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in Chicago as a clinical assistant professor. He’s not unlike millions of Americans whose lives have been interrupted and reshaped by a devastating pandemic that continues to deliver illness and death. But there is hope to returning to what we have known as “normal,” thanks to the production of vaccines that possibly could limit the spread of the virus. In the following question-and-answer format, Hawkinson, who recently was vaccinated, shares his thoughts about COVID-19 and describes his personal journey to receiving the vaccine.
Some people are hesitant to get the vaccine for their own personal reasons, so why did you take the opportunity to be among the first to be vaccinated?
Hawkinson: I’m a part-time faculty member at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry, and we’ve been getting steady updates since March about vaccine development. So I’ve been following that information and––from my own knowledge of immunology––it seems this is a novel approach to not only making a new vaccine but maybe making it safer than the way traditional vaccines have been made in the past.
At any point, did you have any thoughts or concerns about how rapidly these vaccines were produced?
Hawkinson: The time period for development has been very, very rapid, mostly because the roadblocks and bureaucratic impediments for development of other vaccines were pushed aside or removed. That doesn’t mean that important steps weren’t followed in the development of the vaccine, but the bureaucratic machinery was changed to allow these rapid advances to occur. There still are some things unknown about this vaccine, but my own feeling was that this was safe and I should go for it. And my colleagues at the College of Dentistry are in-sync with that. We are vaccinating faculty, students and staff at the college right now.
Was it a requirement to be vaccinated because you are a member of the staff?
Hawkinson: No, no. It wasn’t a requirement. It was definitely voluntary, and this was not a difficult decision for me to make.
Were there any pros or cons you had to weigh before getting the vaccine?
Hawkinson: In my case, I was pretty confident that proper steps had been taken, albeit in very rapid succession, but I really didn’t have any concerns. My own experience with getting vaccines––flu shot, shingles and pneumonia––I’ve never had a problem with any of them other than a sore arm the next day.
What was it that allowed you to be among the first group to get the vaccination? Was it because you are a member of the medical community?
Hawkinson: Yes, those of us in the medical community were ranked to be among the first recipients. But it really didn’t matter to me if I was lower on the list and had to wait longer, I still was going to get it. I’m very enthusiastic, gung-ho about the positive aspects of this vaccine.
When did you get the vaccine?
Hawkinson: I got the first injection on December 29, and I got the second one on January 18.
Where were the shots administered?
Hawkinson: At the UIC pharmacy. That’s where they had a vaccination room set up. That setting was strictly for medical center personnel. I did have to set up an appointment and it all went very smoothly.
Which version of the vaccine did you receive?
Hawkinson: It was Pfizer. (Moderna also has produced an available vaccine.)
On the day after the injection, what kind of reaction did you experience? Were there any indications of side effects or anything out of the ordinary?
Hawkinson: No. Not in my case. There was only soreness at the injection site. The day after the shot I spent some time at home then went to play pickleball for three hours. I felt just fine, and have felt fine since.
Has anyone else in your family gotten vaccinated?
Hawkinson: Not just yet. I’m certain Susan (his wife) will be vaccinated when the DuPage County Health Department sets up some kind of hierarchy or order for which group will get the vaccination next.
Did anyone––friends, family, associates, etc.––suggest that you not get the injection?
Hawkinson: No, not at all. Understand [he laughs], we haven’t been seeing a lot of those people recently due to the virus. Prior to the vaccination, there were no warnings and no fears from anyone concerned about my decision to be vaccinated.
On the other hand, have you encouraged people to get the vaccine?
Hawkinson: Yes. I encourage them by saying, “I’ve received it, and you should look at a time when you can get it too.” I haven’t said if you don’t get this, I won’t be your friend [laughs]. I’ve just been putting the idea into people’s minds that when it is available, you should go for it.
Do you believe this pandemic can be tamed through vaccination?
Hawkinson: Yes. I have to be hopeful of that because, otherwise, we’re going to be tussling with this a long, long time, much longer than if the vaccine were not available. Supposedly we have to have about 70 percent of the population vaccinated before we can sort of get back to normal routine, normal life and socialization. I’m not sure when we can achieve that figure. Hopefully, sometime this year we can reach that level of 70 percent and start returning to normal.
Where does the act of people getting vaccinated rank on your list of important things to do?
Hawkinson: Very high because this is something you can do for yourself. I don’t know why people won’t go for it. But I do understand that people have their reasons.
What kind of conversations do you and your colleagues in the medical community have regarding the virus?
Hawkinson: With my colleagues at the university, it’s all about enforcing the things you’ve heard over and over and over again––wear a mask, wash your hands often and practice social distancing. It’s all about universal precautions.
You say you’ve gotten regular flu shots, and the process for administering the COVID-19 shot is similar in nature. Correct?
Hawkinson: For me, it’s very similar, right down to the minimal side effects. I understand that some people might have more side effects with the second injection––including fever, prolonged soreness or maybe headache. But the way I see it, those are small prices to pay to achieve immunity from this virus.
What was your immediate feeling after getting the first injection––a feeling of accomplishment, security, pride?
Hawkinson: Mostly a feeling of accomplishment that I had gotten it done. Emotionally, I guess I felt safer too.
Your work demands that you are around numbers of people. So prior to the vaccine, how have you been able to remain free of the virus?
Hawkinson: Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, wear your mask and practice social distancing. Those things work!
What would be your message to Faith members?
Hawkinson: I would say, “Do not be afraid.” No. 1, this is for your benefit and the benefit of your neighbor. It’s for both our benefit and the community as a whole. Too often, especially in recent years in this country, we are thinking only of ourselves and our rights, and not the community and who my neighbor is. Based on my experience, I’d say get the vaccine!
Note: Dr. Bob Hawkinson’s responses concerning the vaccination were based solely on his experiences and personal situation. Each individual should make his/her own decision about whether to receive the vaccine, perhaps in consultation with his/her physician.
Dr. Robert (Bob) Hawkinson has the distinction of having been among the group who, in 1959, attended Faith Lutheran Church’s first service at its current location. He retired from his private dental practice in 2017 and is currently sharing his vast knowledge with students at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in Chicago as a clinical assistant professor. He’s not unlike millions of Americans whose lives have been interrupted and reshaped by a devastating pandemic that continues to deliver illness and death. But there is hope to returning to what we have known as “normal,” thanks to the production of vaccines that possibly could limit the spread of the virus. In the following question-and-answer format, Hawkinson, who recently was vaccinated, shares his thoughts about COVID-19 and describes his personal journey to receiving the vaccine.
Some people are hesitant to get the vaccine for their own personal reasons, so why did you take the opportunity to be among the first to be vaccinated?
Hawkinson: I’m a part-time faculty member at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry, and we’ve been getting steady updates since March about vaccine development. So I’ve been following that information and––from my own knowledge of immunology––it seems this is a novel approach to not only making a new vaccine but maybe making it safer than the way traditional vaccines have been made in the past.
At any point, did you have any thoughts or concerns about how rapidly these vaccines were produced?
Hawkinson: The time period for development has been very, very rapid, mostly because the roadblocks and bureaucratic impediments for development of other vaccines were pushed aside or removed. That doesn’t mean that important steps weren’t followed in the development of the vaccine, but the bureaucratic machinery was changed to allow these rapid advances to occur. There still are some things unknown about this vaccine, but my own feeling was that this was safe and I should go for it. And my colleagues at the College of Dentistry are in-sync with that. We are vaccinating faculty, students and staff at the college right now.
Was it a requirement to be vaccinated because you are a member of the staff?
Hawkinson: No, no. It wasn’t a requirement. It was definitely voluntary, and this was not a difficult decision for me to make.
Were there any pros or cons you had to weigh before getting the vaccine?
Hawkinson: In my case, I was pretty confident that proper steps had been taken, albeit in very rapid succession, but I really didn’t have any concerns. My own experience with getting vaccines––flu shot, shingles and pneumonia––I’ve never had a problem with any of them other than a sore arm the next day.
What was it that allowed you to be among the first group to get the vaccination? Was it because you are a member of the medical community?
Hawkinson: Yes, those of us in the medical community were ranked to be among the first recipients. But it really didn’t matter to me if I was lower on the list and had to wait longer, I still was going to get it. I’m very enthusiastic, gung-ho about the positive aspects of this vaccine.
When did you get the vaccine?
Hawkinson: I got the first injection on December 29, and I got the second one on January 18.
Where were the shots administered?
Hawkinson: At the UIC pharmacy. That’s where they had a vaccination room set up. That setting was strictly for medical center personnel. I did have to set up an appointment and it all went very smoothly.
Which version of the vaccine did you receive?
Hawkinson: It was Pfizer. (Moderna also has produced an available vaccine.)
On the day after the injection, what kind of reaction did you experience? Were there any indications of side effects or anything out of the ordinary?
Hawkinson: No. Not in my case. There was only soreness at the injection site. The day after the shot I spent some time at home then went to play pickleball for three hours. I felt just fine, and have felt fine since.
Has anyone else in your family gotten vaccinated?
Hawkinson: Not just yet. I’m certain Susan (his wife) will be vaccinated when the DuPage County Health Department sets up some kind of hierarchy or order for which group will get the vaccination next.
Did anyone––friends, family, associates, etc.––suggest that you not get the injection?
Hawkinson: No, not at all. Understand [he laughs], we haven’t been seeing a lot of those people recently due to the virus. Prior to the vaccination, there were no warnings and no fears from anyone concerned about my decision to be vaccinated.
On the other hand, have you encouraged people to get the vaccine?
Hawkinson: Yes. I encourage them by saying, “I’ve received it, and you should look at a time when you can get it too.” I haven’t said if you don’t get this, I won’t be your friend [laughs]. I’ve just been putting the idea into people’s minds that when it is available, you should go for it.
Do you believe this pandemic can be tamed through vaccination?
Hawkinson: Yes. I have to be hopeful of that because, otherwise, we’re going to be tussling with this a long, long time, much longer than if the vaccine were not available. Supposedly we have to have about 70 percent of the population vaccinated before we can sort of get back to normal routine, normal life and socialization. I’m not sure when we can achieve that figure. Hopefully, sometime this year we can reach that level of 70 percent and start returning to normal.
Where does the act of people getting vaccinated rank on your list of important things to do?
Hawkinson: Very high because this is something you can do for yourself. I don’t know why people won’t go for it. But I do understand that people have their reasons.
What kind of conversations do you and your colleagues in the medical community have regarding the virus?
Hawkinson: With my colleagues at the university, it’s all about enforcing the things you’ve heard over and over and over again––wear a mask, wash your hands often and practice social distancing. It’s all about universal precautions.
You say you’ve gotten regular flu shots, and the process for administering the COVID-19 shot is similar in nature. Correct?
Hawkinson: For me, it’s very similar, right down to the minimal side effects. I understand that some people might have more side effects with the second injection––including fever, prolonged soreness or maybe headache. But the way I see it, those are small prices to pay to achieve immunity from this virus.
What was your immediate feeling after getting the first injection––a feeling of accomplishment, security, pride?
Hawkinson: Mostly a feeling of accomplishment that I had gotten it done. Emotionally, I guess I felt safer too.
Your work demands that you are around numbers of people. So prior to the vaccine, how have you been able to remain free of the virus?
Hawkinson: Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, wear your mask and practice social distancing. Those things work!
What would be your message to Faith members?
Hawkinson: I would say, “Do not be afraid.” No. 1, this is for your benefit and the benefit of your neighbor. It’s for both our benefit and the community as a whole. Too often, especially in recent years in this country, we are thinking only of ourselves and our rights, and not the community and who my neighbor is. Based on my experience, I’d say get the vaccine!
Note: Dr. Bob Hawkinson’s responses concerning the vaccination were based solely on his experiences and personal situation. Each individual should make his/her own decision about whether to receive the vaccine, perhaps in consultation with his/her physician.