Coronavirus & Vaccine Update
The United States still has the highest number of cases and Covid-19 related deaths in the world with India and Brazil trailing close behind. These numbers have recently hit their peak during this past holiday season. In Orange County there have been a total of 223,088 confirmed cases and 2,367 deaths to date (Jan. 19) according to the CDC. Thus far the majority of the individuals who have contracted the virus have shown to handle the illness very well and most recover after an average of 2 weeks in quarantine. The way the virus affects each person is different. Age, medical conditions and overall health are all factors that impact how your body reacts to the virus. Based on data from the CDC the recovery rate is estimated to be 95-97% for ages 69 and younger and around 94.6% for ages 70 and older.
Pharmaceutical companies across the world, including Pfizer and AstraZeneca have worked expeditiously to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus as its cases and deaths continue to climb. The vaccine was created at an unprecedented speed and was submitted to the FDA for authorization in November of 2020 which was only seven months after the viral samples of the virus were collected. The first Coronavirus vaccine has developed faster than any vaccine in history. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC news that “The process by which the vaccines were made were a standard process that was rapid because of exquisite scientific advances.” However many people are hesitant about taking the vaccine because of how rapidly it was created. The main concern regarding the vaccine is its potential side effects and possibly negative long term results. Most individuals who have decided to not get vaccinated are waiting until further vaccines get produced and side effects are revealed.
Disneyland announced on Jan. 11 that the theme park will become one of Orange county’s major coronavirus vaccination sites when the vaccine becomes available. On Jan. 14th Johnson and Johnson released their coronavirus vaccine for testing and is currently waiting for approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The Johnson and Johnson variation on the vaccine only requires one dose rather than the two shot regime of previous vaccines. The vaccines have not been approved for anyone under 16, and you should talk with your doctor or healthcare provider before taking any vaccine according to the CDC. Although cases continue to climb, our country and nation as a whole has progressed in the way we’ve dealt with the virus and these new developments bring us closer to the goal of a full reopening.