I don’t think any of us could have predicted the crazy events of this year. The COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the world in a matter of months, turning 2020 into a year of social distancing, wearing masks, and learning how to live the “new normal“ in a more isolated reality. As we enter into 2021, many of us are still adjusting to the shift that the pandemic has caused in our everyday lives, and I’m sure we’re all waiting for the day when we will be able to toss our masks aside, see others in person rather than on Zoom, and finally leave COVID-19 in the past.
Luckily, we are beginning to take significant steps towards a COVID-free future. While we have been hearing about the development of a vaccine for the Coronavirus for a while, 2 vaccines— Pfizer’s vaccine and Moderna’s vaccine— have finally been authorized for public use.
These vaccines fight against COVID-19 by triggering an antibody response to the virus that prevents it from entering your cells, leaving your body with white blood cells called T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes that remember how to fight the virus after a few weeks. These white blood cells will then produce antibodies that will attack antigens of the Coronavirus and protect you from contracting the disease.
The amount of people that must be vaccinated in order to stop the pandemic varies from place to place due to population and human behavior, but in the U.S., it is estimated that 70% of the population must be vaccinated in order for us to be able to return to a more normal lifestyle. That means that over 200 million people will have to receive the vaccine, and ideally, even more will choose to get it.
The question is, where do you stand in the incredibly long line of people who are anxiously awaiting their dosage of the vaccine?
The New York Times recently published a helpful tracker that can give people a general idea of where they fall in the “vaccine line” but here are some identifying characteristics that may determine where you or someone you know falls.
You have a preexisting condition or Covid-related health risk. Those with a health condition that puts them at a greater risk for the symptoms of the virus are towards the front of the line. It is estimated that about 5.3 million Americans fall into this category, putting them behind only first responders, those in nursing homes, and frontline workers.
You are a healthcare worker or first responder. Those who are healthcare professionals are at the very front of the line to receive the COVID vaccine, as their jobs put them at a higher risk of contracting and spreading the virus. Because healthcare workers are vital to safely managing the pandemic, they are a priority in terms of vaccinating the population. There are an estimated 1.4 million healthcare workers that need to be vaccinated and an additional 139,000 first responders who fall close behind them.
You are a teacher. Teachers fall in the upper to middle of the vaccine lines, as their jobs put them closer to both adults and children, creating a risk of spreading the disease through schools. Additionally, reestablishing in-person school is a nationwide priority, and vaccinating teachers is the first step in achieving this goal. Currently, there are an estimated 455,000 teachers who need to receive the vaccine, putting them close behind those who are elderly.
You are a young adult. Because the vaccines are only currently available for those who are 18 years old or older, young adults will be vaccinated before children and teenagers. Currently, about 2.5 million young adults are in line to receive the vaccine, putting them behind teachers.
You are a teenager or child. If you are a student, as most of us are, it is unclear how long it will be before we are able to receive the vaccine. While Pfizer’s vaccine has been authorized for ages 16 and up, it is currently not available to teenagers, and a vaccine for those younger that 16 has not yet been authorized. There are around 4.0 million children that will need to receive the vaccine, and they are behind young adults, teachers, essential workers, the elderly, those with preexisting conditions, and healthcare workers. However, students are by no means last in line, as they are ahead of around 4.3 million people made up of other essential workers and others.
While it seems like it will take forever for enough people to be vaccinated, many doctors, other healthcare professionals, and essential workers such as occupational therapists have already received the vaccine. Soon, teachers will be able to be vaccinated as well.
The arrival of the vaccine is certainly something to celebrate, but it doesn’t mean that we can stop taking preventative measures against COVID-19. Although you still have to wear your mask and social-distance, the world is closer than ever to a COVID-free future.
Works Cited:
Gabor David Kelen, Lisa Lockerd Maragakis,
G, D.K., L, L.M. (2020, December 23). COVID-19 Vaccine: What You Need to Know. Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-what-you-need-to-know
How Does the COVID-19 Vaccine Work? (2020, December 11). Retrieved from https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/how-vaccines-work
How Vaccines Work (2020, December 18). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html
Thompson, S.A.. Find Your Place in the Vaccine Line. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/03/opinion/covid-19-vaccine-timeline.html