The COVID-19 vaccines have been rolling out since Dec. 14, and there has been a constant debate about whether people want to receive it yet.
The FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) has approved two COVID-19 vaccines to be released to the public. One is the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the other is the Moderna vaccine. The United States vaccination program plans to have 100 million people vaccinated by April.
Whether or not people want to get the vaccine as of now is still up for debate. One editor said, “I am planning on getting the vaccine whenever it becomes available to me. The more who get vaccinated, the faster we can move on from this virus.”
Another editor also said that they will be receiving the vaccine because it will slow the spread of the virus and decrease the overall fear of going out.
One editor highlighted the importance of distributing the vaccine to those who need it most. “I do not plan on receiving the vaccine until further down the road,” the editor said. “As of now, I’d rather see the dosages be allocated to the immunocompromised or elderly, rather than me, a young person who currently has the antibodies and is better equipped to fight it off. I don’t see a sense of urgency for myself to be vaccinated as soon as possible.”
Some U.S. citizens feel that the distribution of the vaccine is not being released properly, and that high-risk groups are not receiving it as quickly as they should.
One editor feels that the vaccine is not being distributed properly because most sign-ups do not ask for medical history.
However, a few editors feel that the vaccine is being distributed properly as of right now, and that the focus should be on those who have a higher risk of being severely infected by the virus.
One editor said, “It’s reassuring to know that in the state of New Jersey, more vaccines have been distributed than positive [test] results, which is an astounding and promising statistic.”
Another editor said, “I think that New Jersey’s vaccination eligibility phases make the most sense; vaccinate those who are most at risk first due to limited supply such as healthcare workers, people aged 65 and older, and people with pre-existing conditions.”
Another option for debate is whether college campuses should distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to their students.
One editor said that the vaccine should be distributed on campuses, as they could build herd immunity. Another said that it would be a good option to help slow the spread of the virus, since college students typically live within close proximity of one another and are constantly socializing.
“It is not a secret that the spread has been increased on campuses because young people love to go out, so if college aged students were protected, the spread would definitely be slowed,” said another editor.
With the new vaccine comes hope for the future and what the year 2021 could potentially bring. One editor hopes that by the fall 2021 semester, students can return to the physical classroom and there will be life on campus again. Another said that they hope it is effective and saves many lives.
“As someone who has lost a grandparent from the virus, I wish the vaccine had been developed faster and saved my grandfather’s life,” said an editor. “Regardless, it’s comforting to know that this vaccine has the potential to save so many people from suffering the way my grandpa did.”
PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth University