With the impending sense of dread in our country, the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has become a symbol of hope for our future. Hope for our lives to return to normal; with live sports, concerts, large family gatherings, and (eventually) no more masks. The vaccination process has come with its unique challenges, but our country is already beginning to see its impact. 

As of right now, February 10th, the Center for Disease Control reports that a total of 43.2 Million vaccines have been administered in the United States, putting us at about 10% of our country’s population. While this may not seem like a lot, we are well on our way to increasing this number. There are still around 20 Million doses that have been delivered to clinics waiting to be administered, with millions more in production and being shipped out daily. Scientists at the Center for Disease Control predict that we will need around 70% – 90% of the US population to get vaccinated to have enough immunity to make the virus a threat of the past. 

While we continue to make good progress toward the healing of our country, some people are avidly against this vaccine with claims that the vaccine was too rushed and may have unknown negative side effects. Yes, this vaccine was approved quicker than any before it; but never before have we seen an entire world of scientists working nonstop with powerful technology to develop a vaccine. These negative claims are largely baseless, as these trusted doctors work has proven to work with almost no side effects. Some have taken these concerns to heart and protested against the vaccination process. One group of protesters outside of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles was able to temporarily shut down the vaccination site after the authorities deemed it dangerous. Thankfully the site was back up and running after the protests died down.

Even with these bumps in the road, our country is still well on its way toward recovery. Ever since the spikes in cases from Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, new cases per day in the US are now continuing to steadily decline, as reported by the CDC. With more and more of the population being vaccinated, many states have continued to lighten up restrictions, allowing for indoor dining at restaurants and the resumption of high school sports. But the pandemic is far from over. Until we reach herd immunity, we must all remain vigilant and continue to adhere to safety guidelines, or our country’s healing process will be slowed down and halted once again.