CDC approves multiple COVID-19 vaccines

The Covid-19 pandemic has continued on and vaccines have been approved in record time. With the first case happening just about a year ago, two Covid-19 vaccines have been approved for emergency use in the United States.

The first vaccine to be approved was the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. It requires 2 shots that are 21 days apart. This vaccine is recommended for people 16 years old and older, according to the CDC. Some side effects were reported in the Pfizer-BioNTech clinical trials but they only had mild to moderate symptoms.

The second vaccine to be approved was the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Two shots are also needed but 28 days apart. The Moderna vaccine is recommended for people 18 years old and older. There were also mild to moderate side effects in clinical trials.

Each state gets to choose who gets the vaccine first. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices suggests that the highest priority group should be health care workers and long term care residents.

In Minnesota, there are different phases. The first phase (1a) will be health care workers and long term care residents. Secondly, phase 1b will get the vaccine to adults 75+ and frontline essential workers. The next phase (1c) will allow adults ages 65-74, people ages 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workers to be vaccinated. The final group will be the general public. As we see hope for the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, being thankful to all of the frontline and healthcare workers is very needed.