Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Vaccine Talks: Convincing My Grandparents That Bill Gates Did Not Want To Microchip Them
Ruzanna Azaryan, left, and Avetis Azaryan, Gevork's grandparents. (Photo by Gevork Apikyan)
()
This is part of a series of conversations that Cal State Northridge students had with loved ones about COVID-19 vaccinations. Planning your own conversation with family or friends? Here are some tips.
Gevork Apikyan, Northridge
My grandmother has taken the virus very seriously from the start, whether it was home remedies she found on Facebook like eating garlic every day or drinking lemon juice, or sanitizing and masking up during her outings.
After about five months, she started freaking out when her friends, who were less careful, started contracting the virus and being hospitalized. This put a lot of stress on her, especially because my grandpa owns and runs an autobody shop.
Support for LAist comes from
My grandparents, both immigrants in their early 70's from Armenia, aren't the best at navigating the web and neither are their friends, so anti-masking and anti-vax conspiracies run rampant. It is beyond exhausting having to help them navigate what is right from wrong. With the amount of misinformation circling the web, my grandmother also had her doubts about the vaccine, thinking Bill Gates wanted to microchip her, thinking the government wanted to kill everyone with the vaccine; it was tough.
But after sitting down with her and showing her the benefits of getting vaccinated, and having her doctor tell her it was safe, she agreed to it, and we were able to get her the vaccine alongside my grandfather. They are now safe and sound, and that is all I can really ask for.
READ THE REST OF OUR 'VACCINE TALKS' SERIES:
- Getting My Father Vaccinated Before He Gets COVID-19 Again
- When Will My Teen Brother, A Cancer Survivor, Be Protected?
- My Mom Is Diabetic, Cleans Offices And Is Not Eligible Yet For The Vaccine. Or Is She?
- My Mom Is A Teacher, But She Did Not Want To Be First To Get Vaccinated
- My Grandmother Surprised Me On The Vaccine
- When Your Dad Supports The Vaccine And Your Mom Thinks It’s Dangerous
- For My Grandmother, It’s Like Polio All Over Again
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars. -
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
Best of LAist