Before Dying of COVID-19, TikTok Star Urged Others To Get Vaccinated

Megan Alexandra Blankenbiller, a woman who was hospitalized with COVID-19, went viral on TikTok when she pleaded with others to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Blankenbiller's Story Told Through TikTok

Blankenbiller uploaded her first post after being hospitalized on August 15, 2021. "I don't have a lot of energy for talking, so I want to try to make this quick," said Blankenbiller in the video from her hospital bed. "I did not get vaccinated. I'm not anti-vax, I was just trying to do my research. I was scared and I wanted me and my family to all do it at the same time."

"I do think it was a mistake. I shouldn't have waited," added Blankenbiller, before urging people to get vaccinated. "I think if you're even 70% sure that you want the vaccine, go get it. Don't wait, go get it. Because hopefully, if you get it, then you won't end up in the hospital like me, okay?"

Blankenbiller shared four TikToks from the hospital, including an unnerving TikTok that showed her looking scared as someone could be heard screaming in the background. "The 'vid got me guys. DO NOT WAIT TO GET VACCINATED! Go now!! And please pray/send good vibes, etc for me. ❤️ Stay safe muffins! 💋," she wrote in the caption.

A later TikTok revealed that her hospital experience had been frightening. "I've been here since for early Friday morning," said Blankenbiller. "All I've been hearing are the moans and screams of people in pain. People, I'm assuming, that have lost people that they love because I know what that's like personally and what that sounds like."

Blankenbiller died a little more than a week after her first August 2021 hospital post. The top comment on her final post was from August 24, 2021, and it simply said, "Alexandra passed from this world into the next world today. She is missed."

People praised Blankenbiller in the comments for encouraging others to go for the vaccine, and some even said her story is prompting them to get vaccinated. "RIP. I'm gonna go schedule my appointment now," wrote one commenter. "I was honestly unsure about it but I'm getting it as soon as possible now," said another.

"It's no secret this is something that should be taken seriously," Alexandra's sister, Cristina Blankenbiller, told WebMD. Cristina Blankenbiller also shared that she, Blankenbiller, their mother, and their sister made appointments to get vaccinated, but they all came down with COVID-19 before their shots.

"Her final video really showed a lot of who she was," said sister Rachel Blankenbiller. "She was selfless—the type of person who used her final days to help others."

What To Know About COVID-19 Vaccines

As of December 2022, individuals aged 6 months and older can get COVID-19 vaccinations. Also, special vaccine considerations are in place for those who:

• Are moderately or severely immunocompromised
• Have allergies
• Are homebound
• Reside in long-term facilities
• Are planning to become or are pregnant
• Have been vaccinated beyond the United States

There are four authorized or approved vaccines that have been manufactured: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson. The CDC recommends getting the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine if you can.

The recommended COVID-19 vaccine products vary based on an individual's age:

• Children 6 months to 4 years old: a three-dose primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or a two-dose primary series of the Moderna vaccine
• Children 5 to 17 years old: a two-dose primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or the Moderna vaccine
• Adults 18 and older: a two-dose primary series of any vaccine product

Booster doses of the vaccines are available too: They are recommended for individuals aged 5 years and older. However, children aged 6 months to 4 years who completed the Moderna primary series can also get a booster dose if has been at least 2 months since their last dose. The timing for getting a booster will also be different depending on your age.

Additionally, the CDC says that you should not mix products when you are getting vaccinated for the first time, which is considered your primary series. You can, however, mix vaccine products when it's time to get your booster shots.

Regardless of which vaccine you got in your primary series, the CDC recommends that you get either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine as your booster. The Johnson & Johnson and Novavax boosters can be used in limited cases.

Finally, the CDC has a tool where you can find locations that are offering vaccination appointments, and COVID-19 vaccinations are free for those residing in the U.S.

If you have any concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines, talking with a healthcare provider can help answer any questions you may have.