Last week, I was surprised to see nearly half of a crowded store maskless. Nearly everyone there would have been wearing a mask just a week earlier, but now even social distancing seemed to be more laid back. The number of cases in the state has been falling though, so many restrictions, such as mandatory mask wearing, have been lifted. I’ve been double vaccinated for about a month now, so while it’s safe for me to also go maskless, the site of it all seemed a bit jarring at first.

Though it’s exciting. Things are returning to somewhat normality again. I have slowly been able to see friends again, go into restaurants, go for my daily runs without a mask.

But not everyone is vaccinated yet.

One of my roommates was reluctant to get the vaccine for several weeks. She said that although she was not afraid of getting a shot, it was the missing a day or so of work or class that worried her. She didn’t want to get sick since it could be a major setback. After multiple conversations, it proved fruitless. She didn’t seem like she wanted to budge.

Throughout the country, similar scenarios have been occurring. Even as the availability of vaccines rises, those who avoid getting vaccinated still remain high. People don’t want to feel sick afterward. There’s a conspiracy that they’ll turn into robots. Some say it’s all part of propaganda. Others fear the vaccine, for one reason or another.

The number of people refusing the vaccination is becoming clearer each day as the number of new vaccinations in the country are now leveling out, according to ABC. That’s why a lot of states are now doing incentive programs, like Massachusetts’s lottery. Some stores are even offering free food or drinks—or even weed.

It’s obvious that we all need the vaccination. It’s important to remember that the virus can still spread if people are not careful. The low number of cases we are currently seeing was only achieved through mandatory mask wearing, restrictions on social interactions, as well as many people getting vaccinated. With some of these regulations lifted now, this only increases the importance of getting vaccinated as it might be the only barrier you have from the virus in some situations.

Beyond that, it’s a mental relief for many. You never know who else in a space is vaccinated. You can always be at risk, but to mitigate the risk, getting the vaccination means you most likely won’t get it. This leads to less stress and an allowance of normalcy. Increased social interactions, which are only allowed with a vaccination, boosts mental health situations for all anyways.

Even if you do not fear getting sick yourself, everyone does not play their part in this pandemic. Getting the virus means potentially spreading it to friends or family who could be more at risk, as people have been saying since the earliest days of the pandemic. And if that’s not enough of a reason, it also means risking another surge of the pandemic. Leading to more restrictions again and the possibility to continue remote work and learning.

So while there’s still no proof you’ll turn into a cyborg and other risks have been managed, there is no reason to not get the vaccination. My roommate ended up getting vaccinated. She eventually got it to be safe while staying with her family members. It even gave her some relief.

So please, get vaccinated as soon as possible. I did and so did others I’m close with. I assure you we all feel a huge relief now, and I’ve been able to freely do more things like I used to. It’s time for everyone to step in and do their part to ensure we remain on track with ending this pandemic together