Page 9 - Staying Well and Feeling Good - Q1 2022

Vaccines Developed with Extraordinary Speed
The speed with which we rolled out new vaccines for this dreaded virus is truly mind boggling.
In the spring of 2020, I remember watching Dr. Fauci explain how it usually takes
10 – 15 years to pioneer one vaccine. But with COVID-19, unprecedented international cooperation, focus, and resources led to multiple effective and safe vaccines getting authorized in less than a year.
It seems hard to imagine how they could speed up the process, but I read that it was a bit like driving across a busy city in rush hour — with a police escort. Rather than spend a lot of time waiting at traffic lights, they got to the same place just as safely, but much faster.
Vaccines Authorized for Children 5 – 18
By the fall of 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized all children aged five years and older to receive COVID-19 vaccination. While most children aren’t
at high risk for developing serious health consequences from the coronavirus, some have gotten very ill, and some have died.
And vaccinating children helps slow the overall spread of COVID-19. Clinical trials for vaccinating children under five years old
are now underway as well.
New Treatment Authorized
In December 2021, the FDA granted
emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral treatment to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death in people infected with COVID-19. While it’s obviously better to not get infected in the first place, this treatment could save many lives.
Boosters Authorized for All Fully Vaccinated Adults
By January of 2022, all fully vaccinated individuals 12 and older were authorized and recommended to receive a booster using any of the vaccines authorized in the U.S.
Local pharmacies have vaccine clinics and an abundance of the vaccine. For example, Rite Aid offers a scheduling tool you can use to make a vaccination appointment at a location near you.
Heroic Health Care Professionals
There are no words to describe the sacrifices that doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals have made — and are still making, day after exhausting day — to try to help COVID-19 victims survive and recover. Please thank them every way you can, every chance you get.
Hope for the Future
With all these positive developments, there is hope that, come springtime, we may have the best handle on this disease yet.
Vaccines have been a game changer, but vaccines only work if you get them! If you haven’t yet gotten your first vaccination, please do — even if you’ve already had COVID-19. More than anything else, getting as many people vaccinated as possible is our best strategy for beating this pandemic.
If you need help scheduling your vaccine or booster, your primary care doctor can let you know where to go, or you can call your local public health department. Additionally, Registered Nurse Health Coaches are available to Independence Blue Cross members 24/7 to answer your questions.
Don’t forget the basics. Wash your hands frequently. Try to stay six feet apart as often as you can. When in doubt, wear a mask. And please consider getting a booster shot!
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