Akash’s COVID Corner: Everything You Should Know About the New COVID Vaccines
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, everybody has been waiting for a vaccine to come out so we can start returning to our normal lives. Since the start of November, three vaccines have started seeking approval for release. News stations often throw around numbers about these vaccines, like how effective they are and how many doses would be needed. It can be hard to keep track of all this information and know what all the numbers even mean. In this article, I will go over all the data we have on the vaccines and what it means for resolving the pandemic.
First, let’s talk about the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines since they are very similar. Both are about 95 percent effective, which basically means that 95 percent of those who receive the vaccine will be protected from contracting the virus. The research isn’t official, but if it’s anything like the flu vaccine the other five percent of people will still have slight protection and will have less severe symptoms if they do contract the virus. The other thing they have in common is that you need to get two doses for it to be effective, and they need to be about two weeks apart. At the moment, most people consider the Moderna vaccine to be slightly better for a couple of main reasons. One reason is that it’s part of the White House’s Operation Warp Speed, which means it has better funding and can mass-produce more easily. The other reason is the Pfizer vaccine needs to be kept at about -70 degrees celsius and can only be stored at fridge temperatures for five days. The Moderna vaccine can stay at fridge temperatures for about 30 days, making it significantly easier to distribute and store. Despite the clear advantages of the Pfizer vaccine, it is still very good that we have two options, as that will close to double the number of doses we can get out.
The other vaccine that is closest to being ready for distribution is the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. The biggest problem with this vaccine is the low effectiveness of about 70 percent. For many, this is a deal-breaker, since even if you get vaccinated there is a 30 percent chance you will contract the virus if you come into contact with it. However, as I said in the previous paragraph, the more vaccines we have the better—since getting a less effective vaccine is better than having to wait many months for a more effective one. Additionally, Pfizer and Moderna are primarily concerned with distributing the vaccine to the US, so this Oxford vaccine is good for other countries in need. It also has a huge upside of being able to be kept at fridge temperatures for up to six months. This allows distribution to happen in waves and rare side effects can be monitored more closely.
Overall, the three vaccines each have their own strengths and weaknesses and are better for different situations. Pfizer is working on different methods to store theirs more conveniently, including small pods that use dry ice to keep the vaccine cold. It does seem like the Moderna vaccine is the best overall option, as it has high effectiveness and is not too inconvenient to store. Most people speculate that the highest risk people could receive the vaccine as soon as late December, and millions of people could be vaccinated by early 2021. With vaccines, there is always an aspect of unpredictability, and things could go much better or worse than expected. If a new side effect is discovered it could delay the release of the vaccines for months, or longer. Experts agree that if a vaccine hits the public, it is crucial that everybody who can take it will take it. Joseph Ernst, a doctor at UCSF, said “I would say it’s a personal decision on when to be vaccinated, not whether to be vaccinated.” As long as the vaccines clear the trials, most agree there is no non-medical reason not to get it.
Akash Woods decided to join the Owl to learn what it’s like to be a journalist. He wanted to learn how to write an engaging story with a headline that pulled people in. He also wanted to improve his research skills as well as his interview skills. Akash enjoys many sports, including basketball, tennis, and biking. You can often find him engaging in one of these activities, usually with friends. He is not a very big fan of winter sports, however, due to an unfortunate history with both skiing and sledding. This means during the winter you are more likely to find him inside, with a mug of hot chocolate and his favorite food: purple grapes.
Rowan Finney • Dec 18, 2020 at 3:07 pm
Great article! I’ve been reading about the vaccinations, and I think this article was really informative! I have heard about Moderna and Pfizer before, but this is my first time reading about the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. I agree that the Moderna vaccine seems like the best and safest option, and I hope that we are able to leave our houses without masks before 2021 is over. I have heard many rumors about the vaccines having contaminants that can change a person’s DNA, but I don’t really believe that, as it seems pretty extreme. I know a few people that have already gotten vaccinated and/or are getting vaccinated in a few months or less.
Miles Olbright • Dec 14, 2020 at 11:49 pm
Great article, I enjoyed the work put into making an unbiased well informative article. Im eager to see new information about the vaccines come out and learn more about how states and the government are going to regulate it and possibly mandate it, I heard some probably less than reputable rumors that many states may call for the vaccine to be mandated for kids to go back to in school learning which I thought was interesting not quite knowing the possible risks yet but I’m sure that everything will be correctly taken care of with time. Awesome work
Adrien Armstrong • Dec 14, 2020 at 10:49 pm
Great article. It was very helpful to me to just have all of the facts in a very concise medium. Thanks! The whole thing is crazy! I am very hopeful that this can be a big success with very few kinks. However, I am anticipating many kinks. There are millions of people around the country that don’t feel safe taking the vaccine which would obviously be a big problem and hinder the “herd immunity” concept. I am also very interested in seeing who gets the vaccine when. Obviously, there are a lot of projections for how it will be distributed but I think there will be some interesting nuances.
Kylie Angulo • Dec 14, 2020 at 7:41 pm
This was a really educational article. I knew there was a vaccine in production and that there were issues about storing it in the appropriate temperatures, but I didn’t know more than that. I learned a lot from your article and it was really interesting to learn the pros and cons about each of the possible vaccines. I agree that the Moderna vaccine sounds like the best option, I am just hoping there are no side effects found, and that if there are, they are found before distribution. Your article was really well written and it taught me a lot.
Natalie Hill • Dec 14, 2020 at 5:55 pm
This was a great article! I am pretty out of the loop when it comes to COVID and the upcoming options being presented so this article was very informative and useful! I think you did a great job of writing all the information into an organized and understandable form, which is very helpful for previously confused readers like myself!
Isa Bush • Dec 14, 2020 at 2:13 pm
This is probably one of the most useful articles I have found on The Owl and I love it! I have heard so many different things on the different vaccines in the works right now and I had no idea what I thought about any of them. There has been talk of theses vaccines having stuff in them that could potentially be dangerous but different experts are saying different things. I have found it extremely hard to keep track of everything and I thought this was summarized well. This article was very well written and I think you did an excellent job of stating the important facts and not making the information too complicated. I can very honestly say that this was very useful to me.
Sarah Banks • Dec 13, 2020 at 11:33 pm
Notable article! Vaccine information has been all over the news recently and I like how you made the information manageable. The Pfizer vaccine has been very relevant since it was just approved by the FDA. A controversy was that the Trump administration was offered to buy a larger bulk of doses in the summertime but passed up on the offer. Instead, they bought less which has caused some stir. But it is interesting that the Moderna vaccine might be the better option due to its convenience. And one can also only assume the Trump administration Moderna preference since it is American funded. In all, your reporting on the vaccines was great and I feel more confident on the subject.
Morgan Srednick • Dec 11, 2020 at 4:01 pm
Great article and insight! As someone, out of many, who is very intrigued and also anxious about the new Covid-19 Vaccines, I have been wondering what our options will be. I think you did a great job covering the matter and comparing the new vaccines using scientific proof and evidence. The pros and cons of each were clearly displayed and easily comparable, which I appreciate. I hope that whether it’s Pfizer or Moderna, we get a safe and trustworthy vaccine to finally put a culmination to this pandemic.
Morgan Srednick • Dec 11, 2020 at 3:59 pm
Great article and insight! As someone, out of many, who is very intrigued and also anxious about the new Covid-19 Vaccines, I have been wondering what our options will be. I think you did a great job covering the matter and comparing the new vaccines using scientific proof and evidence. The pros and cons of each were clearly displayed and easily comparable, which I appreciate. I hope that whether it’s the Pfizer or Moderna, we get a safe and trustworthy vaccine to finally put a culmination to this pandemic.