As Covid-19 continues to ravage the country, some hope is starting to reveal itself through this heart wrenching ordeal. A coronavirus vaccine by Moderna, a biotechnology company, is shown to be almost 95% effective. This is promising news for the country, which is beginning to enter what experts believe to be the “darkest days” of the pandemic.  

   Moderna’s vaccine was announced some days after Pfizer’s and it comes with some advantages. If it happens to be widely available to the public in early 2021, it is expected to be distributed in a much smoother fashion than Pfizer’s due to the fact that it can be transported at refrigerated temperatures rather than below freezing temperatures. This way, it could easily reach more people, faster. 

   As of right now though, mostly healthcare workers and vulnerable people will be receiving the vaccine first. Moderna projects to have 20 million doses by the end of this year, and Pfizer expects to have 50 million. But only half of that total would be vaccinated because the vaccine consists of two shots (The New York Times).

   Nevertheless, the distribution of the two can work hand in hand to potentially stop the spread of the virus and put America back on its feet. The optimism is definitely there; Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, admitted the data from Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were better than he expected. However, he also warns to not become complacent and encourages people to keep wearing masks, socially distance, and wash their hands because it can take up to a month for the vaccine to kick in. It is also unknown how long immunity lasts (STAT). 

   With the development of a vaccine on its way to being finalized, so is President Elect Joe Biden’s Covid-19 task force. The team consists of many doctors and professionals in virology and immunology, public health experts and advisers, surgeons, professors, FDA commissioners, and former Obama administration assistants, to name a few. 

   President Trump has blocked Biden and his team from entering the White House, but he and his new staff continue to express that tackling the pandemic will be one of their top priorities when starting the presidency. Consulting with state and local government officials to talk about school reopenings, ways to contain the virus, and safely vaccinating the public are one of their immediate plans to do this (CBS). And it is greatly needed.

    Freshman, Shivraj Singh, agrees. He feels “it is crucial for all Americans to consider taking it.” He continues by saying, “many are still not taking the virus seriously and the only way to slow or possibly stop the spread of it is by a vaccine.” Shivraj ended off by saying he was inclined to take the vaccine when accessible to gradually begin the return to regular life.

   Alluding to the revival of normalcy, these developments would perhaps allow Jaguars to come back to the classroom. Saying goodbye to Zoom is something that a lot of us would want to do but for now all we can do is hope for the best in the long road ahead of us.

   Through many months of fear, stress, and worry a spark is finally starting to illuminate the path out of darkness.  

   Now is the time to “stay positive, and test negative,” as many healthcare workers would say.