COVID-19: Let us all get vaccinated 
•	Dr. Anis Ansari , Guest Columnist Clinton Herlad ,Dec 16, 2020 
The second wave of COVID-19 continues to cause devastation in the United States and around the world.
In the U.S., coronavirus cases have skyrocketed to more than 250,000 daily and a death toll of more than 2,500 daily for the past week as of Dec. 14, 2020.
Due to enormous suffering and a long wait, the arrival of COVID-19 vaccine has created great excitement in a large population. The process of approval, distribution and administration is moving forward rapidly. The first doses of the vaccine have already been administered in the United Kingdom and Russia.
There are many people who are skeptical. How do you convince them to get the vaccine?
First, the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNtech is a messenger RNA-based vaccine that is 95% effective. It just received approval for emergency use authorization in the U.S. starting Dec. 14, 2020.
In the final phase 3 clinical trial, there were 43,000 participants from 150 clinical sites in many different countries. This vaccine is considered safe and effective with only minor side effects, such as fatigue, headache and body aches. There were two patients in England with an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is suggested that people with significant allergic reactions to a vaccine, medicine or food should not receive this vaccine.
The second major vaccine has been developed by Moderna. It is also a messenger RNA-based vaccine that is 94.5% effective with minor side effects. In a phase 3 trial there were 30,000 participants. The vaccine was found to be effective against severe COVID-19 cases in 100 percent of cases. The second dose will be given 21 days after the first.
According to the Pew Research Center, Americans who intend to receive the vaccine varies depending on their race and ethnic origin. In general, 60 percent of people surveyed said they would get it while 39 percent would not. It seems to be a case of fear of the unknown. After drug companies have both worked tirelessly day and night at warp speed to develop these vaccines in record time, people are reluctant to take it. It is found to be safe, effective and will save lives. These vaccines have gone through very thorough review and vigorous trial before approval. The benefit vastly outweighs any side effects that a patient might encounter.
We need everyone to get involved in promoting these vaccines, which are safe, effective and will save lives. These efforts should include public health campaigns and hospital facilities, primary care providers as well as healthcare workers spreading the word about safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. The vaccine administration priority will be decided by the CDC, with healthcare workers and nursing home residents going first.
Let us all get vaccinated. Side effects are minimal and the only way to eradicate this menace is by mass vaccination. The protection from the vaccine is supposed to last for at least three months.
MercyOne is waiting for the Moderna vaccine to be available before the administration process can begin. More announcements will follow soon. There may not be enough vaccine to give it to the general public until at least January 2021.
Even after vaccination, basic rules will still apply, including wearing a mask outside of homes, social distancing, frequent hand washing and avoiding social gatherings.
Dr. Anis Ansari
Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology