The Toils of Developing a COVID-19 Vaccine

In early August, the development of a COVID-19 vaccine that could be released sometime between October 2020 and May 2021 was announced, but it hasn’t been without its controversy.

A vaccine would typically take 10-15 years of research in order for the vaccine to be made and released out to the public as mentioned in the Department of Health article. If vaccines for any sickness were made in just a month or two, but not tested on enough people it could damage our body such as our skin.

The Washington Post released an article stating that about 2.2% of U.S. kindergarteners not having their vaccines done at all. But, there are also children who are 2 years old and haven’t received vaccines that have doubled up in a total of 17 years. Janeé Gerard, best known as Ms.G among students, said that there are many metals in the vaccine that affect younger children’s immune systems, making children unable to get the vaccine.

“There are people that are kids that can’t get their childhood vaccines; they’re immunocompromised,” Gerard said. “It literally could kill them, because adding up some of that small amount of virus or whatever it is, could attack their immune system to the point where they die.”

Wendy Hulsopple is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator and also works at the Dermatology Research Associates. She has been able to see incredible new symptoms of the COVID vaccine-like a new symptom called COVID toes and she was able to be there in person to witness it.

“One of the things they want to learn is that it will produce antibodies,” Hulsopple said. “Because it’s such a new virus they don’t know a lot of these things and that’s why they do clinical trials because they learn more about it.”

According to Britannica, an antibody is a protective protein that is produced by the immune system that responds to the presence of a foreign substance known generally as an antigen. When scientists are injecting the pre-vaccine of the COVID what they are looking for is if our body will show the effort of fighting off the infection and determines if antibodies are detected in the blood of the person after they are tested.

The news has been releasing information almost every single hour of the day about the process of the creation of the vaccine and the fact that it may be pushed out some time in October. There have also been multiple articles released about the emotions many are feeling about this pandemic and the possibility of a vaccine being released in the very near future.

Makayla Wilson, a junior at DVC and athlete, shares that the pandemic and vaccines are very tiring and her emotions are all over the place.

“I will not be interested in getting the vaccine if it is released in October,” Wilson said. “Yes, it is possible with all of these doctors, but I just feel like it is going to be created too fast and not [be made with] a lot of thought just to make us feel better. I am scared it is going to make us all sicker.”

As far as what is currently happening, scientists are still looking for a cure in order for this pandemic to come to an end. Anything could change with the election happening in November, especially if we get a new president. People are hanging on a thread waiting for any new results and updates.

“There are literally thousands of scientists all over the world figuring out a vaccine,” said Gerard. “There is a lot of money and there is a lot of capital motivating people which in some ways is saving the world and saving lives.”