Plans for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Throughout the year, the spread of COVID-19 has grown tremendously and has left thousands of people hospitalized. The government has been looking for solutions for this virus and to prevent it from spreading. For some time now, a vaccine has been in the works and currently being distributed across the country 

Two different companies, Pfizer and Moderna, made a vaccine for COVID-19. 

The CDC expresses that Pfizer’s vaccine is 95% effective in preventing coronavirus. The CDC  also suggests that Moderna’s vaccine is also 94.1%  effective and that both are relatively the same; you must get 2 doses 20 days apart in order for it to work. Some allergic reactions could include swelling, chills, and tiredness. 

Another aspect of the COVID-19 vaccine is how it’s being distributed and which groups have priority over the vaccine.  According to the Denver Post, the first doses of the vaccine were delivered Monday, December 14th to the UCHealth hospital in Colorado Springs. 

The first step in distributing the vaccine is to provide it to at-risk essential workers and individuals. According to the Denver Post, Governor Jared Polis decided to distribute the vaccine in different phases. The first part of phase 1, the vaccine is to be distributed to high-risk healthcare workers and older Coloradans (the elderly). Another part of phase 1 is planned for other high risk healthcare workers and other essential workers (such as first responders).

CPR News explained that after high-risk workers get the vaccine it would be given to people a little older than middle age such as those with health conditions and other essential workers.

The superintendent of APS, Rico Munn, sent an email to staff on January 4th explaining that, “Currently, an initial group of APS staff may be vaccinated this week… It is likely that most APS staff will not be vaccinated until late February.” 

At the moment, only a few members of the APS district will get the vaccine but unfortunately, the rest of the APS staff won’t get the vaccine until Phase 1B of Governor Polis’ plan. Teachers will most likely have to wait until February or even March to get the vaccine.

Allison Maes, a drawing teacher at Rangeview, expresses that she is looking forward to getting the vaccine sooner rather than later. 

“I feel extremely grateful for the vaccine and relieved we will soon have access to it. I think the benefits outweigh the cons to get it and I trust the experts and rely heavily on information received from the CDC,” said Maes.

Many teachers from Rangieview agree that this vaccine will be beneficial and that the information from the news, the CDC, and/or APS Administration is reliable and can help people in the community overcome this pandemic.  

James Laguana, the choir teacher at Rangeview High school says, “I feel like anything to get us back to our new normal faster I am up for. Are there unknowns? Absolutely, but there are unknowns for the virus too.”   

Teachers are ready to get back to normal, and if the vaccine is the way to get back to the way things were then they are willing to do it; not just for normalcy, but for the health of those around them as well. 

Emily Harris, a junior at Rangeview, also expressed her thoughts on the vaccine.

“I think the vaccine is gonna help things open up but it’s not gonna get rid of the virus. I’m planning on getting it but not anytime soon.”

Students and teachers have similar opinions on the vaccine, they are both hopeful that this is a sign that things could go back to normal. It’s a start to a long process. According to CNN, this vaccine won’t fully be available to everyone until this summer.