COVID-19 Updates: The Variants, the Vaccines, and

03.03.2021

Nearly a year since the COVID-19 outbreak, life has become an arduous journey of anxious waiting. At this point in the pandemic, it seems as if we endured the peak and are slowly making progress towards normality as active cases of COVID-19 have been steadily decreasing (NBC, 2021). Does this downward trend of cases foreshadow an end to what has seemed like a never-ending pandemic?
        The hurdles still stand, however, as COVID-19 continues to be the leading cause of death in the US in 2021. In addition, new variants of the COVID virus are emerging, suggesting potentially new threats. Meanwhile, the challenge to vaccinate the population still remains. We aren’t out of the woods yet. So the question remains: how much longer till things entirely go back to what it was? To answer this question, we must look at the current problems that are holding us back.
        The main focus at the moment is on vaccines. Vaccines are the one hope we have in returning to our normal lives. In the past couple of months, great strides have been made in bringing COVID vaccines to the public with about 1.4 million American people being vaccinated every day. Companies such as Pfizer and Moderna have come out with their own take on the COVID-19 vaccines. As they proved to be successful, they have been expanding their supply greatly. According to experts (New York Times 2021), our lives could go back to normal by Fall if vaccines are delivered quickly and effectively.
        It all sounds very promising thus far. We finally have the solution to our year-old problem. Now we just have to get everyone to take it. Turns out, this process is more difficult than expected. There are a number of variables that make giving vaccines such a complex and painstaking process. One of which has to do with the public’s attitude towards vaccines. Here are three responses from students about what they think about the vaccine, and whether or not they would get it. Albert Ahn (sophomore, biology), said  “I think it's necessary for our safety and the safety of our society, so I would be willing to get the vaccine when it becomes available.” Sion Jhan (senior, behavioral science) expressed some hesitancy: “I’m not completely against it, but I do think it can be a little risky because it hasn't been around for too long. It sounds great but I’m a bit scared about what might happen. For now, I want to see what happens before I get it.” Sangyeop Han (senior, business) gave his response: “I’m sure the vaccine is safe to an extent but it also seems as if the vaccine is a bit rushed so I want to wait a bit before getting it.”
        To address the concerns mentioned, it is worth mentioning that nearly a year of vigorous research has been conducted internationally to produce these vaccines. Although the vaccines may have mild side effects, they have been well tested to ensure the safety of the recipients.
        Since 2019, hesitancy to get vaccinated has been steadily increasing (New York Times, 2021). Whether it’s concerns about the side effects or poor health care coverage,     not everyone is actively looking to get vaccinated. There are even citizens who are not concerned about COVID-19 in their area, and thus are indifferent about getting vaccinated.
        To effectively combat this issue around vaccination two things need to be prioritized. One, the urgency of getting vaccinated needs to be strongly emphasized by health officials. Too many have died due to COVID, and if we don’t take the necessary precautions, more loved ones will be lost unnecessarily. Two, vaccines need to become more easily accessible, especially to those in low-income communities. Many families are unable to get vaccinated because they have limited access to healthcare as they may not have the public transportation needed or internet access to make appointments online. To target this issue, vaccination campaigns need to be diligent in reaching out to such communities to ensure that this group of the population is vaccinated.
        If things go smoothly, maybe by summer, we’ll be able to enjoy a beach day with our friends without being socially distant. If they don’t, maybe we’ll have to settle with facemasks for another year. At the end of the day, only God knows what our future holds. Instead of worrying too much about the future, what we can and should do is continue to follow the regulations that by this time are well accustomed to and finally, trust God, knowing that He will take care of everything.

References

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/26/opinion/vaccine-covid-coronavirus.html

https://wvmetronews.com/2021/02/28/active-covid-19-cases-continue-downward-trend-in-sunday-report/

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/vaccine-hesitancy-isnt-just-one-thing/618164/

https://www.vox.com/coronavirus-covid19/22299249/us-coronavirus-cases-update-vaccine-pandemic-end

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/coronavirus-cases-decline-across-u-s-experts-urge-caution-n1257942