Coming

A COVID-19 vaccine

We are nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to rise as new restrictions loom. The beacon of hope is a vaccine, and—fingers crossed—we may see one sooner rather than later. Yes, questions about safety, efficacy, distribution, and storage remain, but three candidates seem to be headed in the right direction.

Pfizer applied for Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA, and Moderna is expected to submit their application before this issue prints, which means that both vaccines could potentially be reviewed when the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meets in December. Astra Zeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate is also moving along. Some states plan to conduct their own reviews before greenlighting these vaccines. The US federal government is conducting a test run of its coronavirus vaccine distribution networks with some test shipments to make sure all systems are go if and when a vaccine is approved.

It is my hope and wish that a COVID-19 vaccine could come within weeks with at least a limited supply for front-line medical workers.

Going

COVID-19

This is a bit of wishful thinking, but it is buoyed by the possibility of a safe and effective vaccine against this beast of a virus. If and when a vaccine becomes available and Americans are willing to accept the vaccine, we should start to see COVID-19 become less of a threat to the elderly, the infirm, and the health care system.

Nothing will change overnight, and we can expect masks and social distancing to be a part of our lives for a long time to come. It’s possible that proof of vaccination will be required in certain situations, as well. It’s also important to note that we have gotten better at treating COVID-19 and identifying individuals at risk for the deadly cytokine storm.

I hope that the vaccine, as well as improved treatments and diagnostics, will all help push COVID-19 into the past. Whether physically, emotionally, or financially, we have all been changed by this virus. There are some silver linings of course—family bonding time, the acceptance of telemedicine—and those are here to stay.