by Hazel Taintor
In December of 2020, nine months after the first lockdowns in America, the first COVID-19 vaccine received emergency authorization approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Since then, 86.2 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, possibly leading to the reopening of schools and businesses as well as a decline in infection rates. The number of people becoming fully vaccinated continues to rise daily and is now opening to younger groups. Since the vaccine drive campaigns began, significant progress has been made.
Everywhere on news and social media, opinions on the vaccine of doctors, public health professionals, and politicians are being shared and promoted. But what about the people for whom this vaccine is being created for? What about the opinions of those whose lives are being affected by this? For many students at Minarets, there is a sense of optimism.
Junior Laura Rohrbaugh shares her hopes for the vaccine: “I hope that the vaccine will allow businesses to fully reopen, large events like concerts to be available again, and to lower the number of people getting sick from COVID-19.” This hope is gradually being achieved as more of California’s counties move into the red and orange tiers, allowing more businesses and schools to be reopened, Minarets being one of them on March 30. But with these hopes, Rohrbaugh also voices a concern that many have had in recent months. “My only concern with the vaccine is how little we know about any long-term effects it could have on us…” There has been much hesitancy by many, seeing as the vaccine was produced exceptionally quickly. Although, Rohrbaugh goes on to reason that, “...scientists are learning more and more every day so I am trying to think only positively towards it.”
Junior Isabella Romero believes the vaccine will be good for the community and school. “I think the vaccine will start to let some people feel more secure as we start to open more places up in our state as well as country,” said Romero. “I think [it] will affect the school with allowing some students who were not feeling too secure to feel more safe with coming back to in-person learning.” As more and more are getting vaccinated, the number of positive cases seems to be going down, allowing more people to feel more comfortable returning to activities in public.
Despite the uncertainties that the world has faced in the past year, and the uncertainties that this new vaccine brings, Romero takes comfort in not being the only one having to navigate these challenges. “I don’t have any concerns right now, as all ages of people start to get their first dose,” she affirms. “We are all going [through] this journey together learning as we go along.” This situation is not isolated, and nearly the entire world is going through the same experience.
For more information about the COVID vaccine, please visit the CDC website and covid19.ca.gov.
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