Last March, individuals of the U.S. and many parts around the world were informed with distressing news. An outbreak of a detrimental virus was spreading briskly across the world. Not long after the virus, known as COVID-19, had hit Asia and many parts of Africa and Europe, it soon made its way across to the U.S. After much catastrophic loss to not only the population but to our economy, America has finally been able to receive good news of potentially finding a vaccine for the virus.

Creating this vaccine was no where near simplistic. There is no exact name for the vaccine, nor is there and exact time frame of when this vaccine will be distributed to the public. “Through Operation Warp Speed, we are assembling a portfolio of vaccines to increase the odds that the American people will have at least one safe, effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Alex Azar. With the idea and hope we have of the vaccines arrival by the end of this year, we still as citizens, need to take precautions of making sure we’re staying safe.

Having an idea of when the vaccine may arrive, what is the process in which we’ll be receiving this cure? The answer lies within the process of Operation Warp Speed. “Operation Warp Speed is a partnership among components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense to help develop, make, and distribute millions of vaccine doses for COVID-19 as quickly as possible while ensuring that the vaccines are safe and that they work,” writes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As numerous Covid-19 vaccines are being developed, clinical trials are said to be around the same time.

In the process of getting vaccinated, vaccines that are presently in Phase 3 of the clinical trial are authorized two shots to be effective. Other Covid-19 vaccines require one shot. As many should also wonder, if previously endured coronavirus and have recovered, is there still a need to be vaccinated?

As studies have shown us in the past, our immune systems may not be 100% reliable on its own to with stand the virus.

With over 100 million vaccines preparing to be distributed across the nation, government officials and health departments are still coming to terms on the rate of effectiveness and date of issuing the cure. As we wait tolerantly, we must still continue to stay safe and healthy in hopes of this new remedy. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces, “Phase 1/2 clinical trials are underway for the investigational vaccines in the United States and Germany.”