Ben K., journalist

A new vaccine for the virus sweeping the country, COVID-19, is in place and may be distributed through pharmacies and grocery stores alike. For many months now, COVID has been affecting everyone in some way, no matter who you are or what country you live in. According to the Associated Press, Moderna, an American biotechnology company, has released news that the tests have yielded very good news, despite the current state of the virus now, and how the future would look very grim without the vaccine. The vaccine has appeared to be 94.5% effective, which is a huge step in dealing with the virus and will be very effective if distributed soon. Many companies are in a race for the vaccine, but only a few have been very successful. While Americans brace heavily for the next possible wave of COVID coming to us all, there is a light at the end of a tunnel for us all.

 For the United States, some companies and pharmacies have said that they plan on making the vaccine as cheap as possible, which will be a very good move for lower-income families and citizens that may not be able to afford the vaccine at such a high cost. Earlier this year, around the time that the virus had just started to spread and become a threat, Dr.Fauci had said that the vaccine was 60% effective. There has been lots of improvement, now that news is spreading that the vaccine is now 94.5% effective, which is very good news, and gives some hope regarding the end of COVID. According to Contagion Live, a website for updates on COVID-19 as well as a tracker for the cases states that the U.S government has made a deal with GSK and Sanofi, two major pharmaceutical companies based in Europe. “GSK is proud to be working in partnership with Sanofi to make this vaccine available at scale as soon as possible,” Roger Connor, president of GSK says. The United States government will fund around $2.1 billion to help develop a vaccine, which is reported to be more than enough to keep developing the possible vaccine. 

While GSK’s vaccine is currently in development and will be for the next few months at least, Sanofi has already announced phase three of the trials and tests for their vaccine. For now, COVID is more of a threat more than ever, and will probably continue to be this way until the vaccine is ready to be used for public access. While there is no vaccine yet, there are still ways to prevent yourself from getting the virus. Many pharmaceutical companies are in a race to see who will develop a vaccine first, with many companies currently having their vaccine in the testing process, and some even being approved by the FDA. While this race isn’t a race for money or however many people will get the vaccine, it is a race to end COVID, which would not have a bright future if there was no word of a possible vaccine. Until a vaccine is released to the public, there is nothing we can do, other than washing hands, wearing masks, and being careful.