Since March 2020, COVID-19 has run rampant through the United States. Over 400,000 Americans have died from the virus, but a light has appeared at the end of this tunnel. Two vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are being distributed across the country.

As Phase Two of the distribution plan begins in Iowa, those who now qualify to receive the vaccine, like teachers and daycare workers, are being asked if they are willing to receive it. Those who answer “no” are not alone.

Despite the long struggle with COVID-19, myths about the vaccines are making people hesitant about receiving one. There have been rumors that it is rushed so the effectiveness can’t be trusted. According to John Hopkins Medicine, some of those baseless rumors are that it makes you sterile or it could give you COVID-19. 

The fact of the matter is, these vaccines have undergone numerous scientific tests. They are both effective and safe. The vaccines use normal vaccine ingredients and do not contain any microchip or tracking device. They were developed using tried and true methods with technology that already exists.

“I believe that this is the way we’re going to get through this. [The vaccine] is something that the evidence has shown in rigorous scientific analysis to be safe and effective,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Vaccines are meant to help your body build immunity against the virus. Neither the Pfizer nor the Moderna vaccines contain a live strand of the virus. This means that you cannot get COVID-19 because you receive the vaccine. However, like any vaccine, there could be some mild, short-term side effects such as a sore arm or body aches. According to the CDC, this is a normal sign that your body is building protection.

Some assume that if they have already had Covid, they are immune and do not need the vaccine. This is not true. Even if you have previously had Covid, health officials still recommend you get the vaccine. 

If you receive the vaccine, you still need to practice social distancing and wear a mask. You are still able to get the virus without any symptoms, and pass it along to others who are not immune. 

Herd immunity is reached when a sufficient amount of the population has been vaccinated and is immune to the virus, it stops the spread. The only way we can safely return to our pre-Covid lives is reaching herd immunity.

The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for those 16 and older while Moderna has been approved for 18 and older. When the population of people under 16 is immediately excluded from helping to reach herd immunity, those who are able, need to do their part and receive a vaccination. 

Despite hesitations to the effectiveness of the vaccine, the pre-social distancing days are missed. By getting a vaccine, it is getting us closer to returning to those days filled with socialization not isolation.