COVID-19 Vaccine - A Vaccine of Hope
Dec 30, 2020, 16:20 PM
By Katherine O’Neal, PharmD., MBA, BCACP, CDCES, BC-ADM, AE-C, CLS
The year 2020 has been a year with a roller coaster of emotions. As we end the year, however, I am filled with such hope and optimism. We have thousands of healthcare professionals coming together during this season of giving to help administer the vaccine to the masses.
The FDA has currently approved emergency use authorization to two vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, with a third possibly coming soon. Both of these vaccines use nucleoside-modified messenger RNA technology. Whereas vaccines historically use weakened or inactivated versions of the pathogen to stimulate the body’s immune response to develop antibodies, this new technology uses the body’s own process that cells use to make proteins to trigger an immune response and build immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Because of this process, the manufacturing time is shorter than traditional methods, allowing for rapid development and dissemination. This, in and of itself, is a huge breakthrough. Scientists have been studying this technology for years and with the success of the COVID-19 vaccines, we are sure to see future vaccine development improve.
As a diabetes care and education specialist and a healthcare provider administering the vaccines, I have received my vaccine. I made my personal decision to receive the vaccine because we are in a pandemic, and the only way to fight the pandemic is to do so from all angles. While it is a personal decision, I would highly encourage each and every person to review the facts on the Centers for Disease Control’s website (www.cdc.gov) and to seriously consider receiving the vaccine to bring the hope to reality and end this pandemic for 2021.
For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit DiabetesEducator.org/COVID-19vaccine.
FREE Webinar: Get an overview of everything you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine and its benefits for people with diabetes in this free live webinar from ADCES. Find out how to speak with clients about the vaccine and address concerns. Join us Tuesday, January 26 at 1 pm ET and earn 1 CE. Register now at https://bit.ly/3oODyKs
ADCES Perspectives on Diabetes Care
The Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists Perspectives on Diabetes Care covers diabetes, prediabetes and other cardiometabolic conditions. Not all views expressed reflect the official position of the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists.
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