Mayim Bialik's Views on Vaccines Are More Complicated Than You Think

Actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik has been announced as one of two permanent hosts of Jeopardy! Fans loved her during her run as a guest host and were glad to see her landa regular spot on the show.

But Mayim has said some things not everyone agrees with, and now fans are questioning whether or not she is anti-vax. Here's what we know.

She's made some very public comments against vaccines. In an Oct. 2020 YouTube video, she talks about how her sons had never gotten a flu shot, and she says in the very beginning that she hasn't gotten a vaccine in 30 years.

But in that same Oct. YouTube video, Mayim says that she's going to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Then, she says that she, along with her two sons, will be getting flu shots as well.

She does admit that when her kids were younger, she didn't have them get vaccines during the typical, scheduled times, and she says her reasons for that are private. "But I have never, not once, said that vaccines are not valuable, not useful, nor not necessary because they are," she said.

After this, Mayim does say that she has seen the negative feedback she's gotten for her opinions on vaccines, but she says that it is mostly inaccurate. She lists a number of reasons that some children can't get vaccines; some have weakened immune systems or allergies to ingredients used in vaccines. But she reiterates that even though her kids may not have been vaccinated on the same schedule as most other kids, they are vaccinated.

So Mayim isn't anti-vax per se, although in the video, she does say that she believes that there are too many vaccines out there compared to when she was a child. She believes that there are a number of reasons they are pushed so hard that may not have to do only with a child's health.

In this video, Mayim says that the coronavirus is not like anything we have seen before. "The coronavirus is a powerful and mysterious virus," she says. She says we don't know enough about it to not get vaccinated. On top of all the things we do know, she mentions there are "terrifying and potentially debilitating symptoms" that can make people's lives that much more difficult or even kill them.

"We've seen everything from full organ failure to unthinkably low oxygen levels, blood clotting throughout our bodies and throughout our delicate nervous system," Mayim said. Because of this, she's not taking any chances with her or her sons' health. She knows that the vaccines won't be 100 percent effective and that no vaccine really is.

But Mayim feels like as many people as possible should get the COVID-19 vaccine so we can put the odds in our favor and contribute to herd immunity. She feels the same way about getting the flu shot, which she decided to do for the first time in decades. Because of the virus, flu season could be even more distressful than usual.

While Mayim admits to being "critical" of the way vaccines are generally scheduled and handled in the United States, she is "enthusiastically" getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu and considers those steps extremely important to building herd immunity and ultimately ending the pandemic.

The best way to prevent contracting or spreading COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. Thorough hand washing, social distancing, and wearing a mask or cloth facial covering are also extremely important. If you feel you may be experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, which include persistent cough (usually dry), fever, shortness of breath, and fatigue, please call your doctor before going to get tested. For comprehensive resources and updates, visit the CDC website. If you are experiencing anxiety about the virus, seek out mental health support from your provider or visit NAMI.org.