Man with Autism Urges Everyone to Take a Shot at Combatting COVID Crisis

39-year-old Jesse Saperstein, who is on the autism spectrum, is on a mission to encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccination by leading by example – even if it means being the subject of negative comments and false accusations.

Saperstein received Moderna shots in March and April. He videotaped his final shot and placed it on his YouTube channel, located at youtube.com/watch?v=U85vE82PSrc. TikTok’s Laugh Compilation added Saperstein’s video to its website, and it accrued nearly 100,000 views. It was later removed by Laugh Compilation without an explanation.

“There were derogatory remarks and false accusations that ‘Big Pharma’ is paying me,” said Saperstein. “I have also been called ‘a retard,’ and someone claimed my family used the pandemic as an excuse to have no contact with me.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Everyone 16 years of age and older are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination. However, according to the latest report by USAFacts.org, only 26% of the population have been fully vaccinated.

“There are countless people who believe the vaccine will not help the pandemic or is more dangerous than the Coronavirus itself,” Saperstein says.

Saperstein mentors a young man with autism who recently lost his 60-year-old father, who worked as an Emergency Medical Technician.

“It is time to move past the myths and use the vaccine as an opportunity to reopen the country and start the healing process,” says Saperstein.

For those who do not know where to receive the vaccine, Jesse recommends visiting VaccineFinder.org for the latest information on COVID-19 vaccine.

About Jesse Saperstein:
Jesse Saperstein is the author of a memoir, “Atypical: Life with Asperger’s in 20 1/3 Chapters,” released in April 2010. His second book, “Getting a Life with Asperger’s: Lessons Learned on the Bumpy Road to Adulthood,” came out in August 2014. Penguin Group publishes both books. He serves as the Media and Activities Liaison for the College Experience (thecollegeexperience.org) run by Living Resources (livingresources.org) and the College of Saint Rose. The College Experience gives individuals with disabilities the opportunity to attend a mainstream college.

In 2020, Jesse worked with the CEO of the American Red Cross, Gail McGovern, on a social media campaign to replenish the blood supply. In 2019, Jesse was included as one of the thirty-plus American heroes profiled within the anthology “American Spirit” by New York Times bestselling authors Taya Kyle and Jim DeFelice. In 2020, he appeared on the Dr. Phil Show to advocate for his friend, David Elmore Smith, who was in dire need of resources to combat his morbid obesity. The same year, Jesse was one of 25 citizens in Albany presented with the Community Champions Award for his litter collection to benefit the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) while raising awareness for Convalescent Plasma. He has spoken in front of the United Nations and the Mall of America in Minneapolis, among other venues. For more information about Jesse Saperstein, visit jessesaperstein.com.