By — Njeri Jackson
After what seems like a gruellingly long wait and must anticipation, the first COVID vaccine has officially arrived in the U.S. The FDA approved the vaccine for emergency use on December 11 and, as of now, has arrived and been put to use.
The vaccine in use is from the company Pfizer, a large pharmaceutical company. The actual vaccine is called Pfizer-BioNTech and it is currently being used on those most open to the virus. This includes the elderly, medical personnel, and others most prone to the disease, such as those with immune conditions.
The vaccine, according to professionals, will be made open to the public in months and not weeks. It depends mostly on how open you are to exposure, your age, your previous health conditions, and where you live. It will be regulated by state and federal guidelines. To find more on the four stages in the link below the article.
The vaccine works in two doses, an individual has to receive both doses to become immune, which is one of the reasons why it’s not so simple to just give a dose to everyone. It is also important to note, the U.S population is over 300 million people so getting all these doses and supplies for everything is bound to be a long process.
Another promising event is that it is predicted that the Moderna COVID vaccine will soon be approved by the FDA for emergency use. The decision should be reported by the end of the 18th. If the vaccine is approved it would make usage easier because it can be stored in less cold conditions making it more convenient to use. For more information reference the link below.
With the brink of a new vaccine and the one that is already here it instills a sense of hope to slowly get rid of Coronavirus and hopefully, in time, restore life back to normal.
The 4 Stages:
The Moderna Vaccine:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/17/health/moderna-vaccine-what-we-know/index.html
