Vaccines approved, relief nears

Harrison Army, Staff

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said a coronavirus vaccine can be approved as early as the end of this week. 

On Dec. 10, the FDA is scheduled to hold a meeting with its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) regarding a potential coronavirus vaccine produced by the companies Pfizer and BioNTech. 

On Dec. 17, VRBPAC are planned to meet again to discuss another potential coronavirus vaccine produced by the company Moderna.  

These meetings could result in the approval of the vaccine for Emergency Use Authorization. 

On Dec. 2, the United Kingdom authorized the Pfizer vaccine for EUA with an agreement of 40 million doses through the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. 

If the FDA approves the vaccine for EUA, there could be a total of 40 million vaccines available in the United States by the end of 2020. 

The first round of vaccinations in the US will be distributed to healthcare workers with the next dosages being provided for vulnerable individuals, including the elderly living in long-term care facilities and those with pre-existing conditions. 

President Donald J. Trump and his administration rejected a deal last summer to supply Americans with an initial 100 Million doses with the option to purchase as many as 5 times that number.

With other countries pushing for vaccines Pfizer stated it cannot provide additional vaccinations for the US until June/July.

At Pembroke Academy, students and faculty are ambivalent about the vaccine and its safety.  

“If a vaccine was readily available I would definitely take it,” said senior Lindsay Hawkins

Senior Ben Sporcic, however, said he would not take the vaccine right away. “I just don’t know enough about it at the moment,” he said.

Science teacher Mr. Cunningham agrees that more research needs to be revealed before he would be comfortable taking the vaccine.

I don’t know enough about the science behind it and the studies that have been done,” said Mr. Cunningham. 

Meanwhile, social studies teacher Mr. Willis has complete trust in Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

If Fauci says it’s good, I will be first in line for the Covid vaccine,” said Mr. Willis. “In fact, I’ll camp out by the vaccine place and have my nose on the window.”