AUSTIN, Texas — Nik Woodson has no problem with vaccines that have staved off diseases like polio and measles for decades, but when it comes to trying something new, the mother of four has some hesitation.

Woodson cares for her one-year-old daughter and two boys, and is living in student apartment housing while her husband works on his master’s degree. Besides the responsibilities that come with being a pastor’s wife, Woodson is also taking counseling classes and is still running her budding hair and makeup business. Needless to say, a pandemic was the last thing a busy mom needed to worry about.

“There’s just so many things as a mother that it’s just kind of stressful,” said Woodson.

Now add the stress of deciding whether to give your children a vaccine that hasn’t even been approved yet. Woodson said she’s had no reservations about vaccinating her children with shots that are required for them to attend public school.

“We know the statistics on those vaccinations, right? We know what could possibly happen,” commented Woodson.

She said a new COVID-19 vaccine gives her pause, and said she simply doesn’t know enough about it.

“My children, especially my baby, completely trust me,” said Woodson. “And if something happens, now I’m liable - and now I’m going to feel horrible as a parent because I told my children that everything would be okay.”

While she’s eager to get back to life as it was pre-pandemic, Woodson said she worries that she would be putting her kids at risk with a vaccine that appears to be rushed along in order to make it available to the public.

“I understand their position in wanting to rush,” said Woodson. “But do I feel like it’s a smart thing to do, to just rush and start vaccinating everyone without properly making sure that this is going to be safe for all ages? I don’t know - because I feel like they don’t know right now either.”

Woodson said she wants to see what happens to others who end up taking the vaccine, in addition to what happens to vaccine trial test subjects, before she subjects her children to anything.