We Have a Covid Vaccine, Now What?

The news of COVID-19 vaccines has been met with mixed reactions. While it is indeed great news there is still a lot to learn. Most parts of the world are in the middle of the second wave of this pandemic. In some places, this is worse than the first wave. 

Coupled with the fact that people have been living with this for a year now, the challenge is greater. Although we are more prepared, resources are still scarce. Many people have become apathetic to the risk and have let their guard down. This is not a good idea. 

About the vaccines

Many companies and organizations are working on a vaccine for COVID-19. There has been a lot of progress but there is still lots to be done. Testing and approval are needed urgently but this is not an easy process. 

The FDA (The United States Food and Drug Administration) has been hard at work with various role-players to help to speed the process up. The same is true in other parts of the world. The truth is that the pandemic hit hard and fast and everyone is scrambling to find a solution. 

Right now, there are a few viable options but it is still too soon to confirm their effectiveness. The testing has been rushed and is not conclusive. Time will tell. 

The first is the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The FDA has given “emergency use authorization”. So far, it looks very encouraging. Early results show an effectiveness of up to 95%. 

The other option is the Moderna vaccine. This has also recently been approved for emergency use in the United States. In this case, the efficacy rate is just over 94%.  

There are several other vaccines that are still in the development and testing phase so this is positive news. 

There is a lot of controversy surrounding these vaccines and the truth is that it is still too soon to draw any definitive conclusions. The developments are encouraging but it will still take some time to learn how effective they are. 

What to do for now

While we are all hopeful that the vaccines will help to slow and stop the spread of this pandemic we still have to be cautious. There are several challenges and concerns. 

As we said earlier, these drugs have not been through the normal testing process. The approval has been rushed and while the FDA has been cautious, there are no guarantees regarding the long-term effectiveness just yet. This will take some time. 

The basic logic and rules for slowing and preventing the spread of COVID-19 are still as relevant now as they have been throughout this pandemic. They are basic, simple, and easy to follow. 

Here is what is needed. 

Wash your hands
Use an effective sanitizer
Wear a mask
Follow social distancing guidelines
Sanitize in disinfect common areas

None of this is new information but sadly many people have not been following the basic guidelines. If they did, perhaps the situation would be less severe. The reality is that COVID-19 is still in full-force and we need to take precautions. 

The basics of hand washing, masks, and social distancing are critical. So too is sanitizing and disinfecting common or public areas. Many people have gone back to work. More people are going to the shops or other public spaces. Many schools and universities have reopened. Offices have opened again. 

Many hospitals are packed to capacity. This is a scary thought as many COVID-19 positive patients could be concentrated in a small area. This increases the risk of infection for patients, visitors, and medical staff. 

All facilities need to have serious sanitizing and disinfecting protocols in place. It has never been more important to strictly and correctly sanitize your facility. Most places or companies are not correctly trained or have the correct equipment to do this effectively. 

It is for this reason that this task should be left to experienced and qualified professionals. This is where companies like Stat Sanitizing come in. They have all the necessary skills, training, and equipment to do a quality job. Do not leave anything to chance and ensure you use the professionals. 

Will the vaccines help us?

The truth is that it is too early to say. Billions of dollars and huge time and effort have gone into developing effective vaccines and it does look positive.  Many of the top minds in the medical and scientific industry are involved. This is backed by a large amount of money and resources from the government as well as the private sector. 

Most counties are behind the effort and doing everything in their power to aid the process and speed up development. 

What are the challenges?

Time is the main factor. Despite the pandemic being a year old already, vaccines take time to develop and test. Even once approved, making sufficient quantity and distributing the vaccine is still a major hurdle. 

We saw this with PPE as well as medication. It does not happen overnight and can be tricky. Despite the best effort of the private and public sectors, we are still far from a readily available effective vaccine. 

What does this mean?

As we said before, the reality is that we still have to ensure that all public areas are disinfected and sanitized and follow the basic guidelines we have been told all along:

Wash hands
Wear a mask in public
Practice social distancing

If everyone does this we will be able to slow the spread of the disease enough to be able to cope with it until the vaccines are perfected and easily available to all. 

For now, we cannot let our guard down. It is too soon. 

Final thoughts

This has been a tragic year and COVID-19 has had devastating effects. Sadly, it is not all over just yet. There is light at the end of the tunnel and there has been amazing progress with vaccines but we still have to be cautious.  

For now, sanitize, follow the guidelines, and stay safe.