The time is 6:30 pm. Just half an hour left in the day before closing time. Your feet are (text-style:"fidget")[aching], and you just want to lie down at home. It's been a busy day at the office. You've been wearing two layers of masks and encountering COVID-19 patients all day. The pandemic has been dying down in your area, but you still have patients going to the ER with COVID-19 cases. You hear the door chime (text-style:"shudder")[ringing].
[[Time for your next patient.|patients enters]]
(set: $patientCounter to 10)\
(set: $ladyName to "Mary")\
(set: $manName to "David")\
(set: $ladyP to false)\
(set: $manP to false)\
(set: $age to false)\
(set: $family to false)
(set: $resultD to false)Looking at the front desk, you hear someone introduce themselves to the receptionist. You recognized her as [[$ladyName|young lady]]. She seems to be checking in for her last minute appointment.
[[You take $ladyName to the check-up room.|lady patient]] $ladyName is a lady somewhere in her mid 20's. You've had her for a few months now and have learned that she works not too far from your office. She's usually pretty healthy and doesn't have any major underlying conditions, so for the most part this is probably going to be a routine check-up.
[[Back|patients enters]] $manName appears to be an older man somewhere in his 60's. His eyes glare about stubbornly.
[[Back|patients enters]] You lead her into a small room. You take a seat, and she sits on the chair across from yours. You perform your regular check-up routine of getting the patient's weight, height, vital signs, and etc.
Afterwards, $ladyName starts off with a little chitchat:
"Thank you for fitting this appointment into your busy schedule! You know actually, there’s been something lingering in my mind. You know me and Joseph are expecting our first baby and I saw news of preterm Covid babies or Covid babies getting innate lung problems...I’ve just been so worried to go to sleep
[[Yeah, those news are so sad to hear. Do take care of yourself and the baby! Keep your distance from the crowd, wear the masks, and always sanitize your hands. However, the most effective way to protect yourself and the baby is to take the...|reason]]
\(set: $ladyP to true)Double-click this passage to edit it.
(set: $manP to true)
$ladyName(if: $resultD is true)[, her mood slightly bothered,] continues:
You know, as I just mentioned, this is my very first baby, and I want to do everything right. I've been seeing lots of news of premature COVID babies or COVID babies getting innate lung problems.
I’ve just been so worried to go to (text-style:"fidget")[sleep] sometimes.
I've also been seeing it all over the internet about how some of these COVID-19 vaccine side effects are can cause birth defects...
I really don’t know if the shot would be effective. How could it protect me for months and years from now? I don't need a rushed vaccine full of sid effects when my body has its own immune system. Plus in most cases COVID-19 is pretty mild."
(What should you do next?)
[[Tell a story|story]]
[[Use your medical authority to talk down to her.|expertise]]Do you know what it's called...that Covid Vaccine? But I heard it's been all bad news.
But my work is mandating that we get the vaccine.
But I don't feel safe getting the vaccine while having my baby.
So I'm here to you to do me a favor and give me a medical exemption for the vaccine.
|positive1>[Are you sure? The vaccine would be a great protector for you.]
[Don’t ask me. It's not my area of medical focus.]<negative1|
{
(click: ?positive1)[
(set: $patientCounter to it + 10)
(goto: "choice1")
]
(click: ?negative1)[
(set: $patientCounter to it - 30)
(goto: "Result D")
]
}(What should you ask?)
[[How old are you?|age]]
[[Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions]]
[[Is anyone in your family vulnerable to COVID?]]
[[(End the appointment and send the patient off?)|End]]I'm 24 years old. Going to be 25 this month. I know COVID really only severely impacts older patients.
[[(Go back to asking other questions.)|questions]]
\(set: $age to true)
\(set: $patientCounter to $patientCounter+5)Right now, I've been living with my parents with my husband. The pandemic has made it hard for me to pay rent so this really helps cut down costs. My parents have been so kind to me.
My parents have always been very religious folks. They've been to going church, and the pastor has been telling them all about this "vaccine". They've been going on Facebook and seeing all their friends posting about this COVID stuff. My father told me about the Covid vaccine is how the government and those medical institutions’ tool to manipulate us. He thinks the vaccine contains a magnetic tracking chip that connects to 5G. They don't want to get the vaccine.
My parents are just looking out for me, with the baby and all, so I can't blame them being a little paranoid. But apparently there's some truth in their crazy statements.
[[Do your parents have pre-existing medical conditions?|parentVax2]]As you probably have noticed, my parents are not vaccinated. I've suggested that they get the vaccine as they are quite old but...
I can't force them. It's their own decision, and they've given a pretty good list of reasons to not get the vaccine.My parents do have underlying health conditions but...
|positive2>[I understand that you are very close with your parents but please get the vaccine if not for me then for your baby and parents. I don't want another patient to lose their family. Also about those magnetic chips..]
[Ignore your parents, they don't know how medicine works.]<negative2|
(click: ?positive2)[
(set: $patientCounter to it + 30)
(set: $family to true)
(goto: "discrepancy")
]
(click: ?negative2)[
(set: $patientCounter to it - 20)
(goto: "choice2")
]Double-click this passage to edit it.(text-style:"bold","expand")[Trust is the Key to Vaccine Hesitancy
]A Twine Game by Samantha Lin, Jessica Wang, and Icy Wang
[[Start]]
<img id="titleImage" src="images/doctorPatient.png" />
//This game is just a prototype and may have some bugs.//A month later...
$ladyName has come back again for her routine checkup. She got her first shot of the COVID vaccine the day right after that last checkup. And she got her second shot just a few days ago. While $ladyName mentioned some slight fatigue and soreness after getting the vaccine, her vitals were all good and nothing was out of the ordinary.
[[THE END]]A few weeks later...
You hear news of $ladyName being admitted to the ER. She had contracted COVID-19 from her parents and is just barely hanging onto her life. Apparently, she had not gotten the vaccine.
While there is a slight chance of her recovering, she'll most likely will have to deal with long-term side effects for the rest of her life. However, her baby most likely won't make it.
You feel disappointed that you couldn't prevent this tragedy ahead of time.
[[THE END]]A few weeks later...
You hear that $ladyName had contracted COVID. She was on the fence to whether or not get the vaccine. But in the end, she decided to trust her parents and not get the vaccine.
While she had mild symptoms and a slight fever in the beginning, by the end of a week, she briefly was feeling better. Sadly, her condition took a turn for the worst, and she had sudden respiratory failure. She's currently in the ER and while she might make it, her baby most likely will not.
[[THE END]]You conclude the check-up and make sure to remind $ladyName to get the vaccine before leading her out of the office.
\(if: $patientCounter < 1)[$ladyName silently exits out of the office.
[[You have the feeling you've lost your patient's trust.|Result Bad]] ]
\(else-if:($patientCounter < 40) and ($patientCounter >= 1))[$ladyName turns around before leaving, "Have a good day Doc. I'll think about the vaccine." You sense that $ladyName seems somewhat disatisfied with your response.
[[You have the slight feeling she won't get the vaccine.|Result Neutral]] ]
(else-if:$patientCounter >= 40)[$ladyName turns around and yells "Doc, I can't believe that I've been so stupid this whole time. I'm going to get the vaccine this weekend. Good luck with the rest of your day!" $ladyName seems very satisfied with your response.
[[You have the feeling she will get the vaccine.|Result Good]] ](text-style:"underline")[Credits]
Written by: Jessica Wang, Icy Wang, and Samantha Lin
Programmed by: Samantha Lin
Check out our (link: "podcast episode about this topic.")[(goto-url: 'https://eng221f21.davidmorgen.org/podcast/trust-is-the-key-to-vaccine-hesitancy/')]
[[Go back to title screen.|title]]$ladyName is startled by your blunt response. You can see her making movements suggesting that she is heading to the door.
[[Sorry, about that it's just been a long day.|choice1]]
[[(Let her exit.)|End]]
\(set: $resultD to true)You say to $ladyName:
"Why don't I tell you a story one of my other patients?
Before the vaccine was available, I had a female patient who was 4 months pregnant when she got Covid. She was soon hospitalized. They were worried the baby was gonna die, so they got a Caesarean section for the baby. However, since the baby was born extremely prematurely it weighs only one pound and has to be on a ventilator in the NICU. Luckily, the baby survived but they don’t know whether the baby is gonna grow up and be able to live normally.
[[$ladyName is nodding along, but...|conspiracy theory]]
\(set: $patientCounter to it + 40)But...[[father|parents]] said the Covid vaccines are the government and those medical institutions’ use tools to monitor and manipulate us. That the vaccine contains a magnetic tracking chip that connects to 5G which steals our privacy and deprives our freedom.
(What should you do?)
[[Point out the discrepancy in her logic|discrepancy]]
[[Point out her father-in-law is crazy|complain]]In a demanding tone, you say to $ladyName:
I am the ''doctor'', and I know what is correct. Are you questioning my expertise, and the years I spent at medical school and my residency?
Just listen to my authority as a doctor and accept my suggestion.
[[$ladyName doesn't take so kindly to your words... |conspiracy theory]]
\(set: $patientCounter to it - 20)The Covid vaccine is administered using very thin needles, which have internal diameters between about 0.26 and 0.41 millimeters. Chips these days are just a little bit smaller than a penny, so it is not possible for COVID vaccine to contain magnetic tracking chips.
[[You can see $ladyName pondering this fact|choice2]]
\(set: $patientCounter to it + 10)In a irritated tone, you respond:
"There are no magnetic chips. I don’t understand why people have such beliefs. It is so ridiculous. Just take the vaccine, it is gonna be beneficial for both you and your baby."
[[$ladyName takes offence to you insulting her father|choice2]]
\(set: $patientCounter to it - 20)"Okay... even if the vaccine doesn't contain magnetic chips, my mother told me that the vaccine can alter people’s DNA and cause infertility. Plus, even while vaccinated there are breakthrough cases. I am really concerned with these issues.
[[Well, the difference between getting Covid while vaccinated and getting Covid while unvaccinated can sometimes be the difference between life and death.|explanation]]
[[This is just basic information for COVID. It is a waste of time to ask a doctor. Just google how Covid vaccines work or ask the person who works at any pharmacy.|ignore]]Taking a COVID vaccine decreases your chance of getting COVID-19. The chance of getting sick will be much lower than without the protection from the vaccine. Since the vaccine is not 100% effective, some people who are fully vaccinated can still get Covid.
But the vaccine does reduce the servereness of the symptoms. Without the vaccine you could potentially develop getting lung Covid syndrome, heart failure, memory problems, headache, and many other long lasting effects. However, the persons who have been vaccinated have less severe symptoms and no long lasting effects.
[[$ladyName nods along and seems like she is comprehending what you are saying.|closing]]
\(set: $patientCounter to it + 10)$ladyName is disappointed to not get an easy to understand answer.
[[$ladyName looks at her watch|closing]]
\(set: $patientCounter to it - 10)"Oh my, look at the time! I have to go now!"
$ladyName gathers her belongings.
"I'll be thinking about the things you've told me about today."
[[(You say your farewells)|End]]