Written by: Michelle Ramalingam
With countless deaths in the U.S. attributed to coronavirus daily, providing a vaccine to the public has been of utmost importance. Thus, the Food and Drug Administration has put forward an emergency authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. This vaccine, developed by Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech, will be allocated to previously designated persons.
Although the Department of Health and Human Services plans to send approximately 2.9 million doses out at first, those doses are set to be deployed to essential workers and those at high risk. However, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, affirmed that the government would produce enough vaccines for all of the United States of America by spring. Similar vaccines are expected to get authorization soon as well. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has supported an outline that involves giving priority to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. Following the two aforementioned groups, the vaccine will be given to adults with certain high-risk medical conditions as well as those who are 65 years old or older. Supplies will be administered in larger delegation centers, such as hospitals and long-term care facilities, while drugstores will subsequently have the responsibility of sending the vaccine to nursing homes.
Most likely, it will take more time for vaccines to be used in students. This is unfortunate for some, as the changes in the education model have affected countless lives. Young adults and teenagers are persevering in their studies whilst adhering to the necessary preventative measures, yet, their risk of contracting the coronavirus is still elevated. Therefore, the CDC states that now, the safety of youth is dependent on whether their school ensures that all people are socially distanced, wear masks, and practice good hygiene. Until the vaccine is ready for all, all must be ready for the vaccine.
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