'Black-ish' star Anthony Anderson held his mother’s hand while he got his COVID-19 vaccine: ‘Needles and I don’t get along’

Anthony Anderson hopes to increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines by sharing his personal experience of getting the shot with his mom, Doris.

Video transcript

ANTHONY ANDERSON: COVID-19 vaccination is important to me for several reasons. I'm an African-American male with a pre-existing condition of type 2 diabetes. I'm also 50 years old. My mother is 67, pre-existing condition as a type 2 diabetic, not grossly overweight, but overweight. And so it was important for the both of us to become vaccinated, not only for ourselves, but also for the protection of our family, our friends, and our community.

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I was going to be first in line as soon as I was able to be in line. My mother, on the other hand, qualified on every level but was hesitant about being vaccinated. She was saying, nah, I'm going to wait. I'm going to wait.

And in waiting, we've had you know, family members be affected. My mom's sister and my mom's brother were severely affected by COVID. And I think that might have been a wake up call for my mom, but more importantly she went and spoke to her health care provider, who assured her that it was the right thing to do.

So one day I get a call. She said, OK. I'm going with you to get vaccinated, because by that time I had partnered with the mayor of Los Angeles and also a city council member, Mark Ridley Thomas, to talk about the importance of being vaccinated in the Black and Brown community, so I was able to put together a private group and get vaccinated. And my mother was one of my 20 guests, so we got vaccinated together.

I am-- I'm not going to say deathly afraid of needles, but needles and I don't get along. But I would have to say, getting vaccinated was a walk in the park. Before I could even say ouch, the doctor was like, OK. You're done. You can go over and sit down for 15 minutes.

I was like, that's it. And he was like, yeah. I was like, I didn't even get to scream my mama. He was like, yeah. But you're holding her hand.

I had soreness in my arm after both vaccination shots, and the same thing with my mom. I popped in a couple of Advil. I was fine afterwards.

My big plans after this long year of distancing is watching my LA Clippers play live again, sitting down with loved ones, kissing, you know, my nieces and nephews, and hugging my family, being out playing golf with my boys. The #AfterMyShot is just telling the world what is it that you want to do after your shot. I want to dine in, in a restaurant, not in an alley, not on a patio.

I want to be able to travel the world again. I want to get on the crowded plane and pretend to like the person sitting next to me and this conversation that we're having, as I'm trying to go to sleep. That's what #AfterMyShot is all about.

I would suggest everyone, talk to your health care provider. Talk to your doctor and see what's right for you, because that's what me and my mom did. We are completely vaccinated now, both shots, clean bill of health. So we're ready to take on the world.