By: Celia Pope

As most of you have likely heard at this point, there is finally a vaccine- a light at the end of the tunnel! However, it can be easy to let this light blind us from the reality that still is the COVID-19 virus. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be hopeful for the future, but I do think that it is important to know the facts.   

According to CNN and the CDC, Dr. Anthony Fauci has stated that the distribution of the vaccines was slowed by the massive spike in holiday cases and travelling. However, he fully expects that around April we will approach “open season,” a time in which the vaccine should be available to everyone, meaning that we could begin to achieve some form of herd immunity by spring of 2021. If by the end of the summer 70%-85% of the population is vaccinated, we should be able to achieve good herd immunity and may even have some form of normalcy come fall. He also predicts that we could begin to achieve some form of herd immunity by spring of 2021.

In order to understand how we will achieve “open season,” it is also important to understand the order in which the population will be vaccinated. 

ORDER OF VACCINATION (according to the CDC):

-Healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents

-Frontline essential workers and people age 75 and older

-People age 65-74 and people age 16-64 years with underlying medical conditions and other essential workers

This vaccination is extremely important to the future of the United State’s fight against the COVID-19 vaccine. Not only will it make it substantially less likely that you will get the virus, but if you do get the virus, it will keep you from getting seriously ill. Though scientists aren’t completely sure if the vaccine will stop you from being a spreader, they are hopeful that the vaccine will have this benefit as well.

Again, it is important to learn more about this vaccine, especially if you or a family member are going to be receiving it in the near future. Inform yourself; after all, you are experiencing scientific history right before your eyes!