race for a vaccine

Vaccine ‘FOMO' Gives Some Bay Area Residents Motivation to Get the Shot

It's not just protection from COVID-19 that’s driving some people to get the vaccine. But it's also the fear of missing out or “FOMO”

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

As thousands of people in the Bay Area receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Some people who haven’t been able to get the shot are starting to experience “FOMO” or the fear of missing out.

“I was really the only adult member of the immediate family who had yet to be vaccinated,” said San Francisco resident Rob Cocks.

While his entire family was vaccinated, Cocks, 45, said he didn’t qualify to get the vaccine himself.

“I felt left out, I was motivated to find a way to eventually get my shot, get my vaccine,” he added.

Finally, after scouring several vaccine websites, Cocks said he was able to volunteer at the Ravenswood Community Medical Center in East Palo Alto on Saturday and received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine after his shift.

But not everyone will have that option.

As eligibility expands and people start getting back to a more normal life, some people believe the fear of missing out. This could lead more people to get vaccinated and sooner.

Once Cocks gets his second dose, not only will he have the same protection as his family, but he said he will also be able to share a greater sense of normalcy with them.

“We’ll spend time with friends and go in their house and I have an invitation to see my dad back East in June and I will do that,” Cocks said.

Contact Us