The decision to be vaccinated or when to mask can be confusing for anyone but for and individual that experiences anxiety, Autism, depression, or an Intellectual or Developmental disability the confusion around these decisions can be even more difficult. Willa experiences both High Functioning Autism and severe anxiety and this is a look into how she and her friends came to their own decisions based on learning about vaccinations and masking then talking together on what they felt is right for themselves and safe for the others around them.
Below are two different versions depicting Willa’s comic page in video form.
Video #1 is a video without narration:
Video #2 includes narration:
*Please note, you can view Spanish subtitles by clicking on the cog on the lower right hand of the video, choose subtitles and then click on Spanish!
Click to see the comic above in PDF form.
Full text for this comic page:
Willa: Guys, I’m kinda freaking out.
Willa’s Friend: Why Willa? What’s wrong?
Willa: The convention we’re going to has a vaxx card and mask policy and I’m unvaccinated.
Toni: WHAT?!
Willa: Getting vaccinated is scary…and the clinics are intimidating, and I’m scared of needles, and this vaccine came out much quicker than the others, so it’s probably rushed…
Willa’s Friend: Willa it’s important for you to get vaccinated. You have bad lungs, right? So, you’re extra at risk. And the reason why the vaccine came out so quickly in comparison to the others is because it got the funding to be mass produced quickly because it was a global issue. The same amount of time went into researching the COVID vaccine as any other vaccine. It’s completely safe.
Willa: Oh, Okay. That makes-
Toni: Wait, what about me? Why do I have to wear a mask? I’m vaccinated and it’ll ruin my cosplay!
Willa’s Friend: Actually Toni, COVID – 19 is so nasty that getting vaccinated doesn’t give you a 100% chance of not catching the virus. It makes you far less likely to catch it. And if you do, it makes your symptoms much less severe. So, it’s still important to mask to protect the more vulnerable people around you.
Toni: Oh!
Willa’s Friend: So, what are we going to do?
Willa: Get Vaccinated.
Toni: And wear a mask.