Do the Risks of a COVID Vaccine Outweigh the Benefits?

March 2020 feels like an eternity ago. From school being shut down for six months to having a hybrid system permitting only half of the students to come in each day, it seems like there will be no end to the Coronavirus. Fortunately, there are multiple companies working on a vaccine that is already in their phase three trials. Moderna and Pfizer are two of the four American companies that have begun testing their vaccine on participants. Although this may seem like optimistic news, the side effects will make you wonder if it is worth taking the vaccine. Participants receiving vaccines from both Moderna and Pfizer have reported a series of side effects that should be taken into serious consideration before it is distributed to the public. After receiving the vaccine, participants reported few minor side effects. After the second dose however, certain participants reported having very extreme side effects. Some of these symptoms included shortness of breath, severe shoulder pain, excruciating headaches lasting eight hours, high grade fevers, and extreme chills. Although these symptoms were acute, it is also important to note that they typically only lasted a day. A spokeswoman from Pfizer reported that they will not let these side effects stop them from working on a vaccine to end this deadly virus. It is expected that one of the four United States companies will make an effective and safe vaccine by the end of the year. In the meantime, it is important for everyone, both in and out of school, to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.