Zachary Boykins
4/19/2022
Dr. Crowther
ENGLISH

My last social experience before COVID-19 even existed was later in March 2020. One thing I remember is always getting up at 8 AM, did the same routine. Brush my teeth, take a shower, and drive to school. I never had to wear a mask to cover up myself and everything just seem more peaceful and normal. But also, at
the time, I was always working. I work at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but I didn’t always work like 40-60 hours a week. I worked a solid 30 hours a week. Working here was my last social experience and interactions
was fun, as usual, I got to know more people around the whole stadium and seemed more adaptable. I was always able to walk to work from either Georgia state or Marta train happy listening to music. The music I listen to Dan is the same as I listen to now. Straight Taylor Swift and Chris Brown. I also did not read as much before the pandemic. I also always had a chance to watch my favorite sport basketball every day at 7 PM. The last fun activity I’ve done before everything got out of here was going for a walk on the trailer with my friend. Just walking in the woods with her looking at the water and ducks taking pictures and videos. It was a very fun experience in that was the last thing I’ve done before the crisis. Another social event I would like to add was when I was downtown with my friend we both got to go out and eat at a nice restaurant in Midtown. We got to get out of the car maskless and walk in the restaurant freely, Smiling and ordering some food, even got to get A drink. Just Walking into a restaurant and sitting down to eat without no one telling me to put my mask on. It all just felt normal.

When I first started hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic, was in January. I saw on the news that there was an outage in China. My reaction was that I ignored and it wasn’t going to come to the United States of America. I’ve then got serious about it. It was probably mid-March. I saw it on NBA news. Once Adam Silver (A.k.a. NBA commissioner) Decided to shut down the NBA season. Everything started to become real. Then I went on social media and saw a lot of posts about places being shut down, people going into panic mode with tissue outages, and more. I don’t truly remember the specific day. But, I remember the week of March 15, 2020. I was getting ready to watch Utah jazz versus Oklahoma City. I saw a player named Rudy Gobert. The news reported that he tested positive for COVID-19. After that, I knew everything was getting shut down. Once that happened I immediately went into my room and got on the joysticks. Turn the TV on and “immediately” play the 2K. After a couple of hours Of intense gaming, I went downstairs and grabbed a snack, changed to the real TV, and watched TV. I grab my phone and looked into Instagram. I saw that more people were getting COVID-19 and I took it seriously. So we all got into lockdown mode. The next day, it was just another regular day I couldn’t really go anywhere. I wasn’t able to go to work and loads of events were canceled due to this crisis. I started getting very happy because there was about to be a lockdown and very actually, I was super curious about how this was going to go. Once the government started shutting everything down I started to think and think, and think that what is this it. What if this is like what I saw in a movie. But, I started to wonder if we were going to two get toilet papers in here sanitizer. Before I started wondering, one day I actually saw on Instagram that people were going crazy that there was a shortage of toilet paper. So eventually stepdad came home and got the toilet paper! This was really fun for me because I get to play
a game with my boys, classes were moved online & I get to eat up all the food.
what comforted me during this lockdown?
Oh, I got to play so many video games. I loved it. I completed tons of 10-hour shifts by playing the video game. I literally volunteered to work 12-hour shifts playing call of duty. All jokes aside, I actually went and got a job 15 days after the lockdown. I started working at a particular place named Amazon. Amazon help me buy so much food and also had a very easy job up there. Whenever I got home from work, I got to play some more video games. TV shows I watch during the lockdown, I’ve binged watched big bang theory twice and I’ve also got to watch NBA bubble basketball. I found a show on Netflix called You. Those are some great shows that I spent little time of my day watching. In my other free time, I got to play some more video games. But there was one month that I actually spent 1 to 2 hours conditioning my body. July 2020. I spent a great amount of time trying to get my body back until I had a toe injury. Another great thing during the lockdown was my job was giving back every month. Besides working at Amazon, I got a little income for the sixth straight month which was very generous of Arthur Blank. The best day of the lockdown was Thanksgiving 2020. I ate some food, watched football and lastly, I play 2K! I got to the party with my friends debated for about two hours over nothing and went to sleep. Over the past year starting from March 2020. The world feels more normal before we even thought about a lockdown. Around 2020, I found out that not everybody is your friend. Through the course of the lockdown, I wondered who I will hang out with every day. Despite me not having a lot of friends in the neighborhood, it didn’t bother me as much but I was a little curious about who I hung out with. During the course of the months, I found out social media was a huge distraction. During the lockdown, there were times that were boring and we just go on social media and see what our friends or others are doing. Throughout 2021, I found out that I have a bunch of hobbies and interests in life than I expect it. I always thought I could do one thing but then I learned that I love multiple things. When I stop playing video games on January 14, 2021. I thought I’d be super depressed. I learned that it actually makes me happier. Presently, I’m balancing out everything from social media to reflection to work. I think going forward I will always balance my work, my free time, and alone time. I also worked during the 2021 PHASE that my ego was bad and I needed to be changed. The lockdown and social media made me look at the world differently. I saw the changes, accepted them, & worked on myself. I think the lockdown was a great thing for me, but also harmed others badly.

REVISED VERSION

My last social experience before COVID-19 was late March 2020. One thing I remember is always getting up at 8 AM, did the same routine. Brush my teeth, take a shower, and drive to school. I never had to wear a mask to cover up myself and everything just seem more peaceful and normal. But also, at the time, I was always working. I work at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but I didn’t always work like 40-60 hours a week. I worked a solid 30 hours a week. Working here was my last social experience. The interactions
with people was always fun as usual, I got to know more people around the whole stadium and seemed more adaptable every time I went up there. I was always able to walk to work from either Georgia state or the Marta train, happy, listening to music & even dancing. The music I listen to then is the same as I listen to now. Straight Taylor Swift and Chris Brown. I did not read as much before the pandemic. I would always watch my favorite sport, basketball every day at 7 PM when I left work. The last fun activity I’ve done before everything got out of hand, was going for a walk on the trailer with my friend. Just walking in the woods with her, looking at the water & ducks, taking pictures, and videoing ourselves. It was a very fun experience. That was the final social interaction, I’ve done before the infamous outbreak.

When I first started hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic. it was early January. I saw on the news that there was an outbreak in China. My initial reaction was to ignore it and that illness wasn’t going to come to the United States. I suddenly got serious about it around mid-March. I saw it on NBA news. the illness. COVID-19. Adam Silver (A.k.a. NBA commissioner) decided to shut down the NBA season after a player caught the disease. I remember this happened on March 15, 2020. I was getting ready to watch Utah jazz versus Oklahoma City. I saw a player named Rudy Gobert. The news also reported that an NBA player tested positive for COVID-19. After that, everything was getting shut down. This started to become real. I went on social media and saw a lot of posts about places, restaurants, cities being shut down immediately. People went into panic mode. There were tissue outages, food shortages, and more. Once that happened I immediately went into my room and got on the joysticks. Turn the TV on and “immediately” played video games. After a couple of hours Of intense gaming, I went downstairs and grabbed a snack, changed to the real TV, and watched the news. I grabbed my phone and looked on the news app. I saw that more people were getting COVID-19 and I took it seriously. So we all got into lockdown mode. The next day, it was a unique day. I couldn’t go anywhere. I wasn’t able to go to work and loads of events were canceled due to this crisis. I started getting very happy because there was about to be a lockdown and super curious about how this was going to go. Once the government started shutting everything down I started to think and think, and said to myself, “What if this is like what I saw in on the Simpsons Movie”. But, I started to wonder if we were going to go back out. This was really fun for me because I get to play
video games with my boys, classes got moved online & I get to eat up all the food!
What comforted me during this lockdown? I got to play so many video games. I loved it. I completed tons of 10-hour shifts by playing the video game. I literally volunteered to work 12-hour shifts by playing call of duty. All jokes aside, I actually went and got a job 15 days after the lockdown. Staying inside playing video games got boring. So, I searched up for jobs. I then got a job. I started working at a particular place named Amazon. Amazon helped me buy so much food and also had a very easy task up there. Whenever I got home from work, I got to play some more video games, watched TV shows like Big Bang Theory, which I binged twice during the lockdown, and I’ve also got to watch NBA-bubble basketball. I also found a show on Netflix called You. Those are some great shows that I spent little time of my free time watching. In my other free time, I got to play some more video games. But there was one month that I actually spent 1-2 hours conditioning my body. This month was July 2020. I spent a great amount of time trying to get my body back until I had a toe injury. Another great thing during the lockdown was my job (Mercedes Benz Stadium) was giving back every month. Besides working at Amazon, I got a little income for six months which was very generous of Arthur Blank. The best day of the lockdown was Thanksgiving 2020. I ate some food, watched football and lastly, I played 2K! I got to the party with my friends debated for about two hours over nothing and went to sleep. starting from March 2020. The world felt normal. Then during the months of the “LOCKDOWN”, I found out that “not everybody is your friend”. Through the course of the lockdown, I wondered, who I will hang out with every day. Despite me not having a lot of friends in my neighborhood, I was a little curious about friends.
During the course of the months of February 2021- July 2021, I found out social media was a huge distraction. When I was locked inside my house in 2020, there were times that were just boring and I just go on social media and see what my friends or others are doing. Throughout 2021, I found out that I have a bunch of hobbies and interests in life than I expected. I always thought I could do one thing but then I learned that I love multiple things. When I stop playing video games on January 14, 2021 because of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. I thought I’d be super depressed. I learned that it actually makes me happier. I balanced out everything from social media to reflection to work. I think going forward I will always balance my work, my free time, and alone time. I also worked on my ego and changed it positively. The lockdown and social media made me look at the world differently. I saw the changes, accepted them, & worked on myself. I think the lockdown was a great thing for me.

Roman Scott

Dr. Crowther

English Composition 1101

 

Covid 19: The American School System Pushed to the Limit

            The Covid 19 pandemic swept the globe in the early months of 2020. The world shut down immediately without having time to prepare. Schools, offices, and companies closed which left students and workers at home remotely fulling their duties. The Pandemic highlighted the best and the worst of both people and the systems in place. Mental Health was brought forward as a main concern, next to the worldwide pandemic. People were isolated. Facing obstacles without known solutions. The American School system was tested, pushed to the limit, nearly crumbling under the weight of the pandemic, along with the increasingly concerning mental health crisis and the growing digital divide. For almost two years, students and teachers had to carry on from their own homes.

Classes were held virtually and daily school work became homework. Some say this was a good thing, others point out the flaws and challenges faced during isolation. With the everchanging position of the pandemic daily routines were in constant adjustment, which had a tremendous impact on the lives of students and teachers. Mental health and the Digital Divide were issues that impacted many. Merriam-Webster defines The Digital Divide as “the economic, educational, and social inequalities between those who have computers and online access and those who do not”.

 

When schools shut down, there were hardly any systems set in place to handle any of the numerous complications that were brought onward due to the pandemic. The internet disparities as well as the growing mental health crisis being two of the largest areas of concern for schools. Responses for both were in desperate need. High school students were experiencing the highest amounts of mental health concerns ever recorded.

The full impact of the Covid 19 Pandemic on mental health has yet to be seen, though it is known there was a tremendous impact from the first two years. The mental health crisis reached an all-time high as more students delt with stress and anxiety. Different factors played into the likelihood of experiencing such emotions when faced with the realities of the pandemic (Gazmararian et. el 360). It is important that when students feel stressed or depressed they have a support system they are able to reach out to. During the pandemic many students felt isolated at home. It was hard to connect with teachers and build strong relationships with peers. This needed an immediate response from school systems, however, “Only 50% of students said that, between the start of the school year and the survey in late October, someone at their school had reached out to ask how they were doing. (Raeal Moore, PhD and Shannon Hayes, MPA 106).

Most schools have a consoler and depending on the school size might have more. It is a hard job to have, often undertaking both the mental wellbeing of students as well as the logistics of their current and future school career. With such large undertaking school counselors were overwhelmed during the pandemic. Students were left often to deal with their own mental health struggles in quiet. 70% of white students said they had an adult at their school they felt comfortable speaking with if they were experiencing any mental health issues. However only 52%, just over half of black students reported having an adult at the school they could reach out to for support (Moore and Hayes).

The graph above shows the racial differences between the students responses.

Throughout the pandemic it was made clear that people of color were more likely to experience stress and anxiety related to the pandemic. They were also less likely to have an adult in school they felt comfortable with reaching out to if they needed someone to talk to (Gazmararian et. el).

As the pandemic spread schools across the nation switched to virtual learning. This meant that all classes and assignments were to be held and completed at home. The concept of virtual learning was not new to college level education, for virtual classes had been offered even before the pandemic. On the contrary, high schools were left with many questions and unknows as they advanced forward with online schooling. Conflicts arose as many students did not have the necessary equipment for online education.

Computers became vital to everyday life, even more so than they were before. Not only was it a way to keep in touch with peers but it was also a means of communication between student and teacher for classes. The Washington Post sates that “Nearly one in five students between kindergarten and 12th grade do not have computers or speedy Web connections, according to data compiled by the Pew Research Center in 2018, the latest available, which said this “homework gap” disproportionately plagues low-income families and people of color (par 10).” The internet disparities that high schools faced were only made worse due to the pandemic.

 

Schools had to adapt to the new normal and provide sufficient resources to those in need.

The digital divide was only made worse due to the pandemic. Lower income families  and those in rural areas were hit particularly hard by the closings of schools across the nation. School systems had known of this conflict long before the pandemic but with lockdown came the increasingly important need of internet. Many schools passed out laptops or some sort of electronic device do help students complete work from their homes. However, this did not solve the problem that some students did not have a strong WIFI connect or internet at all. An article on the World Economic Forum states that “People without robust internet access are being left behind academically and economically” (Roese par 7). It is important that everyone come together to help solve this problem that impacts so many.

 

The million dollar question is how do we do this? There is no easy way to solve this problem, however it is crucial that we do. Experts suggest that merely expanding 5G with more telephone poles is not the answer. The problem is far deeper than that, as many places do not have the capabilities of running under a 5G network. John Roese, Global Chief Technology Officer states that, “We need to shift away from legacy telecom architectures and embrace virtual, software-defined, open and automated technologies. This requires investment from major IT and cloud companies, which has already started but needs to move faster.”

Large companies are not willing to put money and effort into easy and excisable internet. If there is a profit to be made most companies will chose the option that will make the most, not help the most. This has been seem time and time again. Large companies turning a blind eye to problems being faced by many.

The pandemic brought people closer together even when further apart. The differences between one another shown bright, but through those differences, similarities arose. People came together to help those in need, in ways never seen before. A lot was learned throughout the years of the pandemic Understanding between others grew as people put themselves into the shoes of others. Teachers and students became more conscious of the mental health crisis and the digital divide that held many people back the past years. Resources were dispensed in hopes of lessening the blow the pandemic had on high school students.

 

 

Work Cited

Anderson, Monica, and Andrew Perrin. “Nearly One-in-Five Teens Can’t Always Finish Their Homework Because of the Digital Divide.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 30 May 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/10/26/nearly-one-in-five-teens-cant-always-finish-their-homework-because-of-the-digital-divide/.

Gazmararian, J., Weingart, R., Campbell, K., Cronin, T., & Ashta, J. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of students from 2 semi-rural high schools in georgia. Journal of School Health, 91(5), 356-369. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/josh.13007

Green, Erica L “The Students Returned, but the Fallout from a Long Disruption Remained.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Dec. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/24/us/politics/covid-school-reopening-teen-mental-health.html.

“Digital Divide Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/digital%20divide

 Moore, R., & Hayes, S. (2021). Mental health supports and academic preparedness for high school students during the pandemic. insights in education and work. ().ACT, Inc, 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168. Retrieved from ERIC Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/reports/mental-health-supports-academic-preparedness-high/docview/2560329467/se-2?accountid=11226

Written by John Roese, Global Chief Technology Officer. “Covid-19 Exposed the Digital Divide. Here’s How We Can Close It.” World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-digital-divide-learning-education/.

Romm, Tony. “’It Shouldn’t Take a Pandemic’: Coronavirus Exposes Internet Inequality among U.S. Students as Schools Close Their Doors.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 17 Mar. 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/03/16/schools-internet-inequality-coronavirus/.

John W. Schoen. “This Map Shows How Millions of Americans Are Isolated with No Internet during Coronavirus Pandemic.” CNBC, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2020, https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/27/map-digital-divide-leaves-millions-isolated-during-coronavirus-panic.html.

Walker, Tim. “Getting Serious about Teacher Burnout.” NEA, NEA, https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/getting-serious-about-teacher-burnout.

.

Roman Scott

Dr. Crowther

English Composition 1101

 

Covid 19: The American School System Pushed to the Limit

            The Covid 19 pandemic swept the globe in the early months of 2020. The world shut down immediately without having time to prepare. Schools, offices, and companies closed which left students and workers at home remotely fulling their duties. The Pandemic highlighted the best and the worst of both people and the systems in place. Mental Health was brought forward as a main concern, next to the worldwide pandemic. People were isolated. Facing obstacles without known solutions. The American School system was tested, pushed to the limit, nearly crumbling under the weight of the pandemic, along with the increasingly concerning mental health crisis and the growing digital divide. For almost two years, students and teachers had to carry on from their own homes.

Classes were held virtually and daily school work became homework. Some say this was a good thing, others point out the flaws and challenges faced during isolation. With the everchanging position of the pandemic daily routines were in constant adjustment, which had a tremendous impact on the lives of students and teachers. Mental health and the Digital Divide were issues that impacted many. Merriam-Webster defines The Digital Divide as “the economic, educational, and social inequalities between those who have computers and online access and those who do not”.

When schools shut down, there were hardly any systems set in place to handle any of the numerous complications that were brought onward due to the pandemic. The internet disparities as well as the growing mental health crisis being two of the largest areas of concern for schools. Responses for both were in desperate need. High school students were experiencing the highest amounts of mental health concerns ever recorded.

 

Many topics for research have been brought up due to covid and isolation.  In these studies, the main topic was mental health.  Between the CDC (US) and Cambridge (UK) studies, results were relatively similar; symptoms of issues with adults’ mental health have increased. The summary of each article with the similarities and differences are explained. 

This article by the CDC focuses on surveying people on anxiety and depression in the US.  It uses an online 20-minute pulse survey.  These surveys were distributed to adults in seven collections, each at different times of the year from 2020 to 2022.  Questions were asked that pointed some people towards having symptoms of anxiety and depression. This survey kept the same “in the past 7 days…” then later changed to “in the past 14 days…” to determine recent symptoms of those in certain ‘collections.’  Part of this survey was modified to determine specific symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder/or major depressive disorder.  The survey resulted in 6.5% reporting depressive disorder symptoms and 10.8% reporting generalized anxiety disorder. Later in the article, they show statistics on the results divided into categories.  Such as race, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc. There are four types of errors that could have occurred. First, measurement error; the respondent could have put false information or misunderstood the question being asked.  The second is coverage error; those distributing the survey could have missed someone who was supposed to be in the survey. The third is a nonresponse error; the respondent simply did not respond to the survey or is unwilling to give certain information, leaving some questions blank. Lastly, processing error; those who put in the information from the surveys could have made a mistake or one’s survey got lost.

This article by Cambridge focuses more on the psychological and social measures with a range of symptoms. It uses a quota survey with a national sample. Including, anxiety, depression, suicidal/self-harm history, defeat, entrapment, and loneliness. Questions were asked that pointed some towards the ‘frequency’ of anxiety and depression vs. other surveys towards what specific symptoms. For example, the first question could ask “have you felt anxious more than normal?” If answered yes then a follow-up question of “when was the last time? 1 hour ago, 1 week, or 1 month ago?”  In the UK, questions on these topics were administered in the first six weeks of lockdown. This survey took into account previous mental health issues with those taking the survey and made subgroups based on them.  Three different waves were sent through, determining the difference between each.  In wave one, over 3000 adults were surveyed.  Results; suicidal thoughts grew with time, anxiety symptoms, feelings of defeat, and entrapment all lessened with time, positive well-being improved, and loneliness levels remained constant throughout the waves.  Additionally, women, young adults, and those with pre-existing mental health symptoms showed worsened outcomes than before.  Over 20% of those who took the survey, showed symptoms of anxiety but later decreased through the waves.  Men showed much fewer depression symptoms (at 17%) than women (at 33%). The list goes on with each symptom area (subgroup) and what they determined by percentage.  There are many errors or limitations that could have occurred in this survey. This survey was answered by surveyors’ self-reports instead of a diagnosis by a professional, and with many people dropping out of the survey or answering without importance, could not help us represent everyone who was affected by the first six weeks of covid-19/lockdown. 

The main differences between these articles/surveys include the variety of symptoms being determined, the frequency/time asked in each question, the type of survey administered, and the time limit put on the US survey vs. the UK survey.  Lastly, location and time when surveys were taken: each survey had a different goal. The US survey determined symptoms and some frequency through three years while the one in the UK determined symptoms and frequency during only the first six weeks. The main similarities between these articles/surveys are symptom topics used of anxiety/depression, having adults answer the questions, and limitations/errors resulting from the approaches of each survey.  Both can be used to discuss results in each area, but the same information is not given in both.  The location of the survey being taken is one thing to compare but the variety of topics in mental health, approaches, etc., are somewhat different between both. Overall, both articles have shown that mental health as a whole has gotten worse since the beginning of lockdown and covid-19.

 

• Mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing study (non-scholarly)

O’Connor, Rory C., et al. “Mental Health and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Analyses of Adults in the UK COVID-19 Mental Health & Wellbeing Study: The British Journal of Psychiatry.” Cambridge Core, Cambridge University Press, 21 Oct. 2020, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-covid19-pandemic-longitudinal-analyses-of-adults-in-the-uk-covid19-mental-health-wellbeing-study/F7321CBF45C749C788256CFE6964B00C. 

• Mental Health – Household Pulse Survey – Covid-19. (non-scholarly)

“Mental Health – Household Pulse Survey – Covid-19.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Mar. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/mental-health.htm. 

• Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care among Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, August 2020–February 2021  (scholarly)

Vahratian, Anjel, et al. “Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder and Use of Mental Health Care among Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, August 2020–February 2021.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 70, no. 13, 2021, pp. 490–494., https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7013e2. 

•  Pandemic Causes Spike in Anxiety & Depression (non-scholarly)

Richter, Felix. “Infographic: Pandemic Causes Spike in Anxiety & Depression.” Statista Infographics, 15 Feb. 2022, https://www.statista.com/chart/21878/impact-of-coronavirus-pandemic-on-mental-health/. 

• Mental Health Effects In High School Seniors (primary)

Memon, Alena. “Mental Health Effects In High School Seniors .” Self Survey. 8 Apr. 2022, pp. 1–2. 

Vaccination Reclamation: The Facts

            The U.S is nearing one million COVID-19 deaths, with Black people accounting for 14% of deaths (Hill and Artiga, 2022). Though that statistic may sound reasonable, 14% of deaths are higher than the population Blacks account for in America, which is a meager 13%. Worse, only 3% of the participants in the COVID-19 vaccine trials are Black, thus possibly jeopardizing the vaccination trial’s legitimacy. Vaccine trials with a wide range of participants must develop a treatment that works for everyone. Because of evident discrepancies in modern-day care and past experiences of abuse, many Black people claim they do not trust the medical profession. Misinformation regarding the vaccine development process has also contributed to the problem. Low Black involvement in COVID-19 vaccination tests might have severe ramifications for their health and well-being in the future. The CDC reported that “rural counties had lower first-dose vaccination coverage (58.5%) than did urban counties (75.4%)” (Saelee et al., 2022). These data show that many Black American children and their families who live in poor and rural areas have not received the vaccine, despite being entitled to it through COVID-19. There are three explanations: 1) health providers have given up on this community; 2) a lack of funds has led to difficulties obtaining the vaccine; 3) cultural resistance prevents some families from vaccinating their children.

            I have written before here about the role of the health delivery system in creating health disparities for African Americans. The system is so fragmented and localized that it is difficult to get uniform access, even for people who qualify for Medicaid. Even when Black children have access to medical care, they are still less likely to receive healthy child checkups than white children. But if a child does go to a doctor, there is also evidence that they will be less likely to get immunized than their white counterpart (CDC, 2022). The CDC has tracked immunization rates nationally and in each state since 2004. In the same way that health disparities are measured by high blood pressure, smoking, and obesity rates, the CDC tracks differences in vaccination rates across races. According to their latest data, Colorado has a lower overall vaccination rate (for both regular and seasonal vaccines) than the national average, with a 4% disparity between Blacks and Whites. But the difference grows considerably if one looks only at Black children. According to information provided by COVID-19, restrictions that limit vaccine availability do not necessarily explain all this disparity. There are many factors other than vaccine access that can affect if someone gets vaccinated or not. These include personal, social, and financial barriers to vaccination.

            A survey conducted by Axios shows that “more than half of unvaccinated Americans live in households that make less than $50,000 annually” (Herman, 2021). That, coupled with the data from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) stating that “the median Black household earned just 61 cents for every dollar of income the median white household earned” (Wilson, 2020), shows the correlation between Black people and their lack of funds and their inability to access vaccines. But is this really because of the color of their skin? I believe that it is not just because they’re Black that they are at a disadvantage. It’s because they don’t have the money to acquire vaccines, which means there’s also less chance for them to protect themselves from diseases like COVID-19. (Inflate this paragraph or add another one)

            It’s possible that cultural resistance prevents some black families from vaccinating their children. Their beliefs may be based on misconceptions about the safety and efficacy of vaccination, or they may be afraid that immunization is a form of risky experimentation. Many people, especially parents, have come to believe in certain allegations, a popular one being the belief that vaccines cause autism. While there is no proof for this allegation, suspicions rise from the very few cases (lost my citation somehow) in which this actually occurred. This belief is sometimes called “vaccine-autism,” and a 2007 survey finds that 46% of black parents are concerned that immunizations may cause autism in their children. More than half of all the public-health funding that goes to mass immunization programs is spent on those with low incomes. An estimated 85% of people eligible for the vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) are black, yet only about 50% receive it. “Race and race theory has always had a huge impact on how people think about vaccination, but there has not been a lot of rigorous research on who believes what and why,” says Rebecca Eisenberg, who conducted the study. (citation + inflate)

            Whether it be racial inequity by way of medical caregivers, or inability to access vaccines due to lower or lack of funds, or even contradictory beliefs and suspicions, the infinitesimal number of vaccinated Blacks is alarming. In order to safely protect themselves and their children, Black parents vaccinate their families. We can’t continue to allow our Black babies to be targeted and stricken with deadly diseases because they can’t afford vaccines. In order to make a significant impact, we need to teach our sons, Black and otherwise, that when they are born, they are not just Black but American.  A true American is not one who looks backward in time; a true American looks forward to the future. A true American is also not someone who was born into wealth; a true American is one who strives for wealth through hard work. Moving forward, Black parents should talk with their doctor about the benefits of vaccines; do additional research on vaccines online; ask your pediatrician about the schedule for your child’s vaccinations; and schedule an appointment with a local health clinic if they have further questions. A change must occur for the Black community to continue to strive as they have, and it starts now.

Rough Works Cited (to be added to, probably):

Hill, Latoya, and Artiga, Samantha. “Covid-19 Cases and Deaths by Race/Ethnicity: Current Data and Changes over Time.” KFF, Latoya Hill, Samantha Artiga, 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/covid-19-cases-and-deaths-by-race-ethnicity-current-data-and-changes-over-time/#:~:text=These%20age%2Dstandardized%20data%20show,19%20infection%20than%20White%20people.

Saelee, Ryan, et al. “Disparities in Covid-19 Vaccination Coverage between Urban and Rural Counties – United States, December 14, 2020–January 31, 2022.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3 Mar. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7109a2.htm#:~:text=Overall%2C%20during%20December%2014%2C%202020,and%2073.2%25%2C%20respectively).

“Covid-19 Vaccine Equity for Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Mar. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/vaccine-equity.html#:~:text=Because%20of%20these%20and%20other,and%20non%2DHispanic%20White%20people.

Herman, B. (2021, July 12). Most unvaccinated people have low incomes. Axios. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from           https://www.axios.com/covid-vaccines-low-income-poor-workers-58698275-0451-4158-a967-                                 37189dbf673c.html

Wilson, V. (2020, September 16). Racial disparities in income and poverty remain largely unchanged amid                 strong income growth in 2019. Economic Policy Institute. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from                                           https://www.epi.org/blog/racial-disparities-in-income-and-poverty-remain-largely-unchanged-amid-                     strong-income-growth-in-2019/

The U.S is nearing one million COVID-19 deaths, with Black people accounting for 14% of deaths (Hill and Artiga, 2022). Though that statistic may sound reasonable, 14% of deaths are higher than the population Blacks account for in America, which is a meager 13%. Worse, only 3% of the participants in the COVID-19 vaccine trials are Black, thus possibly jeopardizing the vaccination trial’s legitimacy. Vaccine trials with a wide range of participants must develop a treatment that works for everyone. Because of evident discrepancies in modern-day care and past experiences of abuse, many Black people claim they do not trust the medical profession. Misinformation regarding the vaccine development process has also contributed to the problem. Low Black involvement in COVID-19 vaccination tests might have severe ramifications for their health and well-being in the future. The CDC reported that “rural counties had lower first-dose vaccination coverage (58.5%) than did urban counties (75.4%)” (Saelee et al., 2022). These data show that many Black American children and their families who live in poor and rural areas have not received the vaccine, despite being entitled to it through COVID-19. There are three explanations: 1) health providers have given up on this community; 2) a lack of funds has led to difficulties obtaining the vaccine; 3) cultural resistance prevents some families from vaccinating their children.

I have written before here about the role of the health delivery system in creating health disparities for African Americans. The system is so fragmented and localized that it is difficult to get uniform access, even for people who qualify for Medicaid. Even when Black children have access to medical care, they are still less likely to receive healthy child checkups than white children. But if a child does go to a doctor, there is also evidence that they will be less likely to get immunized than their white counterpart (CDC, 2022). The CDC has tracked immunization rates nationally and in each state since 2004. In the same way that health disparities are measured by high blood pressure, smoking, and obesity rates, the CDC tracks differences in vaccination rates across races. According to their latest data, Colorado has a lower overall vaccination rate (for both regular and seasonal vaccines) than the national average, with a 4% disparity between Blacks and Whites. But the difference grows considerably if one looks only at Black children. According to information provided by COVID-19, restrictions that limit vaccine availability do not necessarily explain all this disparity. There are many factors other than vaccine access that can affect if someone gets vaccinated or not. These include personal, social, and financial barriers to vaccination.

A survey conducted by Axios shows that “more than half of unvaccinated Americans live in households that make less than $50,000 annually” (Herman, 2021). That, coupled with the data from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) stating that “the median Black household earned just 61 cents for every dollar of income the median white household earned” (Wilson, 2020), shows the correlation between Black people and their lack of funds and their inability to access vaccines. But is this really because of the color of their skin? I believe that it is not just because they’re Black that they are at a disadvantage. It’s because they don’t have the money to acquire vaccines, which means there’s also less chance for them to protect themselves from diseases like COVID-19.

We lived in a world where things were different. We travelled where we wanted to, we spent time together in large groups, and we worked regularly. Everything was the same for some of us. But soon everything changed drastically, life turned upside down due to a pandemic called COVID-19. We had to adapt to the new normal. Things were not easy for most of us, being away from things that we usually used to do, being isolated from our loved ones, and for some being unemployed, all of that took a toll on people’s mental health. The pandemic influenced people’s mental health and has caused an increase in depressive disorders. In this paragraph I will be talking about how covid increased stressful living and depression due to people loosing their low income jobs. How lockdown had potentially increased in home abuse. For people that were social and traveled more staying in the lock down was stressful and increased their depression.
     First, due to the pandemic people that were working on lower wages were unemployed and were stressed about the situation because they had bills to pay, and families to feed. The living situation for people with lower wages was worse because due to businesses closing and people laying off workers things were bad. Financially they were hurt. People who at least finished high school and had a diploma and a degree were in stable jobs and paid that helped them pay off their bills and daily necessities. However, for people who were underpaid living was hard and people were stressed about how they could afford it financially, and too much stress leads to mental health problems. According to one research study, “At least one adverse mental or behavioral health symptom was reported by more than one-half of respondents who were aged 18–24 years (74.9%) and 25–44 years (51.9%), of Hispanic ethnicity (52.1%), and who held less than a high school diploma (66.2%),” and this also included, “essential workers (54.0%), unpaid caregivers for adults (66.6%), and who reported treatment for diagnosed anxiety (72.7%), depression (68.8%), or PTSD (88.0%) at the time of the survey” (last name page number). As shown in this citation it is proved that mental health has affected people that are under paid, people who had less than a high school diploma, and people that suffered from PTSD. Covid was the main factor that increased stress, and depression in the season where people were getting laid of from work and that were getting under paid. As for people that had a stable job and higher education, those problems were not seen, and they were not part of the percent.

Eunice Amoaka
Dr. Crowther
English 1101
04/09/2022
Title
We lived in a world where things were different. We travelled where we wanted to, we spent time together in large groups, and we worked regularly. Everything was the same for some of us. But soon everything changed drastically, life turned upside down due to a pandemic called COVID-19. We had to adapt to the new normal. Things were not easy for most of us, being away from things that we usually used to do, being isolated from our loved ones, and for some being unemployed, all of that took a toll on people’s mental health. The pandemic influenced people’s mental health and has caused an increase in depressive disorders. In this paragraph I will be talking about how covid increased stressful living and depression due to people loosing their low income jobs. How lockdown had potantially increased in home abuse. For people that were social and traveled more staying in the lock down was stressful and increased their depression.
First, due to the pandemic people that were working on lower wages were unemployed and were stressed about the situation because they had bills to pay, and families to feed. The living situation for people with lower wages was worse because due to businesses closing and people laying off workers things were bad. Financially they were hurt. People who at least finished high school and had a diploma and a degree were in stable jobs and paid that helped them pay off their bills and daily necessities. However, for people who were underpaid living was hard and people were stressed about how they could afford it financially, and too much stress leads to mental health problems. According to one research study, “At least one adverse mental or behavioral health symptom was reported by more than one-half of respondents who were aged 18–24 years (74.9%) and 25–44 years (51.9%), of Hispanic ethnicity (52.1%), and who held less than a high school diploma (66.2%),” and this also included, “essential workers (54.0%), unpaid caregivers for adults (66.6%), and who reported treatment for diagnosed anxiety (72.7%), depression (68.8%), or PTSD (88.0%) at the time of the survey” (last name page number). As shown in this citation it is proved that mental health has affected people that are under paid, people who had less than a high school diploma, and people that suffered from PTSD. Covid was the main factor that increased stress, and depression in the season where people were getting laid of from work and that were getting under paid. As for people that had a stable job and higher education, those problems were not seen, and they were not part of the percent.
In another study, name of the author analyzed data on how covid affected people’s lifestyles. His purpose is to show that covid led to an increase in mental health problems in people’s daily life. He states that: “Lifestyle disruptions during COVID-19 have been documented in studies focusing on a single type of behavior, such as exercise (7), sleep (8), social distancing (9, 10), or mental health (11–21).” also, “Over 60% of individuals age 18 to 24 y were estimated to be at risk for depression or anxiety and a quarter reported considering suicide in the previous month” (xx). This shows different analysis but both demonstrate the increase of mental health problems, especially on youth. It describes how bad the pandemic had led young people, a shift in their daily life which include: social distancing, quarantine… Most youth like to hang out and have fun with their friends and this lifestyle was not theirs. Some became lonely and isolated; Some were going through crisis at home and staying there made them depressed; Some lost their loved ones (parents, brother, or sister…); Some were going through a financial crisis because their parents probably lost their job during the pandemic, which made them think maybe on how they are going to be eating or will they even make till the end of the pandemic.
Another impact of the covid-19 pandemic was an increase in suicide and drug use. In order to cope with the pandemic and the lockdown people were looking for something to get their minds off the chaos, so this is when the use of drug substances increased. The drug was used as an escape from reality and for relaxation away from depression. The author Rashon Lane informs that mental health has increased due to COVID. People experienced worse mental health, substance use, and elevated suicidal ideation. He states that the disease has also created anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. He uses an example of studies from the CDC to support his claim. For example: “During late June, 40% of U.S adults reported struggling with mental health and substance use” (xxx). The disease has impacted people in such a way that substance use was the only way out to be at peace with their mentality. Also, staying home and being in lockdown has created a depressive disorder.
In another case depression and anxiety increased in people that were experiencing a possibility of abuse in their household. People were in lockdown; schools were closed and there were few places they could get out and stay. So, for some that experienced abuse, they had no other hope but to stay in the house with their abuser, and that increased depression, stress, and the possibility of suicidal thought. For others, staying in the house was depressing because they are social, they like interacting with other people, to feel the outside world so being locked down in house, always seeing the frame every time was hard for them. The author Czeiler Mark studied and analyzed how mental health problems changes were persistent in people. He states that: “In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears likely that there will be substantial increases in anxiety and depression, substance use, loneliness, and domestic violence; and with schools closed, there is a very real possibility of an epidemic of child abuse” (xx). This means that because of the pandemic, people found themself in a mental situation where they could not get out; the only way to escape was the use of the substance as the author said it has increased. People would use it to forget what is going on around them, like people dying, more people getting sick, the disease not going away. Also, depression and anxiety for people who were abused at home or feared of catching the disease, worst dying, people who were afraid of loneliness.
I interviewed my friend, niece, and nephew. I asked them those questions: how was your mental health during covid? Did your mental health increase during the pandemic or decrease? Was it a stressful time for you? Did you have anxiety? My friend said yes, her mental health increased, she was stressed during the pandemic, because she is a social person so staying home was not something she enjoyed; she would rather be out, hang out with friends. She was sad, feeling like she was in a prison. She said, “I was feeling like I was trapped.” The fact that she was not able to go out was depressing for her, the news was giving her anxiety and making her question everything. My niece said she felt trapped inside because she could not go out, she felt depressed that she could not see her friends or loved ones for a long time. My nephew said he cried a lot, he became less social, and it gave him anxiety; he was depressed, and food became his way out. After the interview, I observed that the answers were similar. Each person experiences the same situation somehow.
We can conclude that covid had increased during the pandemic. It was a stressful situation and only the weak could not make it. We proved with the different examples and data that covid affected people hard. For some people, substance use was the way out; for others it was isolation. Each person had a way to cope with the situation. But one question stands, will we ever regain our peace? We can all say that Covid has changed people in many ways. For some, in a good way it gave them the opportunity to get to know their family more and spend time with their loved ones. Also, covid has given people chances to take new to reunite people together and become more creative, chance to know our selves better and our inner hobbies. But for others, covid had become the uninvited guest that took away their mother, daughter, sister, brother, father, aunt, nephew etc…, it had chattered the happiness away from people. Not only that but Covid had taken away jobs and opportunities for lower-income families to provide for themselves. We all have our different versions of stories about covid but still found a way to make it.

 

Czeisler, Mark É., et al. “Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic – United States, June 24-30, 2020.” MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 69, no. 32, Aug. 2020, pp. 1049–57. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6932a1.

Galea S, Merchant RM, Lurie N. The Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 and Physical Distancing: The Need for Prevention and Early Intervention. JAMA Intern Med. 2020;180(6):817–818. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.1562

Giuntella, Giovanni, et al. Lifestyle and Mental Health Disruptions during COVID-19, 10 Feb. 2021, https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/y4xn3.

Marshall Nafyad, Personal interview. 29 March 2022
Philipps Joie, Philipps Daniel, Personal interview. 03 April 2022

Throughout all these changes, teachers have been putting a lot of effort to help students readjust as much as possible. In the article “Modeling the Possibilities: Building the Caring, Reciprocal Relationships Needed to Nurture Powerful Learning” it states that “teachers have heroically been working to support children’s development—not just academically, but socially and emotionally too.” Even though teachers may look put together they were struggling if not just then more than students. Teachers wanted to school students that school could be entertaining as well as educational. By engaging a lot with students, teachers and students can form relationships that are “essential for children’s healthy brain and overall development—physically and socially/emotionally as well” (Falk Par. 3). These relationships could be hard to form but by just letting the children be comfortable can do a lot. When dealing with young kids in their out of place settings, you’ll have to know how to deal with them, including talking, playing, teaching, observing, or even just listening to them. When listening to students, teachers have found that some will speak “of illness, loss, sadness, fear, anxieties, and their pain about injustice; while it also expressed hope, gratitude for loved ones, longing for connection and community, and the opportunities that the pandemic has provided for personal learning and growth” (Falk par.6). With just enough effort teachers can and have made a positive change during this negative time.

In the early stages of covid, students were learning online, and teachers were teaching online. They haven’t ever had to adjust to school changes this quickly. Katie Mercadante Erdely, a teacher at a school said, “We are learning as we go, which is frustrating for both students and advisers” (Patterson par.3). She and other teachers want students to stay safe but also be able to connect with each other and form relationships (Erdely, Patterson par. 7). Students seem to have lost motivation to do their work virtually. The move to online has shaken everyone up. Another teacher, Terry D’Imperio has worked with her students to create a series of weekly activities for the whole school. They offered a virtual art gallery where students could submit their work, a virtual spirit week, and “wellness bingo” games. As well as teacher appreciation event with students contributing videos was particularly popular to show the connections made between students and teachers. These events the teachers arranged “reminded us all that we are human, and that school is about social-emotional learning as well as academic. I think even those who didn’t participate still watched the weekly videos and were satisfied knowing that at least there was an opportunity to get involved” (Paterson). From not being in school physically, these students couldn’t see their friends and were lacking these connections.

Another flaw of not being in in-person school is that not all children around the world have access to remote learning. About, “a third of the world’s schoolchildren were unable to access remote learning when COVID-19 shuttered their schools” (Fore, UNICEF). Meaning for about 463 million children online learning was not a thing. There was data to see who had access to at home technology for remote learning. Some children did have technology to do online school but “due to competing factors in the home including pressure to do chores, being forced to work, a poor environment for learning, and lack of support in using the online or broadcast curriculum” (Fore), they could not attend. Technology is a big part of Generation Zs life because they grew up with many new possibilities. Text messaging is common and is known when texting friends, they feel better connections (Valkenburg & Peter, 2007, 2009, Juvonen et al. 2022).

With less social time, children made use of other activities. Things like going on screen more. Since after school activities like going to the playground to play with other children or going on bikes or walks. There has been a study that proves that covid has caused children to be less physical and have higher screen time. Parents with children ages 10-12, that lived in Ontario, Canada, were surveyed and asked about their child’s physical activity, screen time, and demographics. The constant factor in all the scenarios is that the screen time went up while physical activity went down. Not being outdoors prevented children from talking to others. At playgrounds there are other children for kids to be active with (Ostermeier et al.). Noted that “physical activity in outdoor spaces has also been associated with various health benefits for children, such as improved social competence” (Ostermeier et al.). The data found showed that the daily goal of 60 minutes of physical activity was not achieved by 61% of children. Not only was the physical goal not met, but the max limit of 2-hour screentime was gone over by 72% of children (Ostermeier et al.).

Not only just younger children but teens have had their friendships affected by school not taking its place. In high school and right after graduation is the hardest time for teens to “fit in” with themselves and others. They are going through many changes dealing with going to college but when the pandemic hit, they had to take a pause on going to a new school. This made young adults restricted on going to make new friends as well. Baumeister & Leary in 1995 said, “Social contact is fundamental to wellbeing and particularly critical during times of stress” (Juvonen et al.). The pandemic was peak amounts of stress for many people including teens and young adults thinking about how to keep their current friendships or even how will they make more. There of expectations and social norms that should be met of forming new friendships, but it was hard to form new relationships. Time spent face-to-face started to not matter as much later into the pandemic because everyone was now connection through their phones and other technology.

The pandemic overall has caused lots of problems all around the word but more specifically problems in learning and what now are social norms. Including that some online learning is still going to stick around, that some teachers are finding more creative ways to keep students engaged in classes, and how harder it has been for children through young adults to make and keep friendships. Throughout all of the changes from schedule changes, types of school learning, including, hybrid, virtual, or in-person, to bad Wi-Fi (Dorn et al.). The 20-21 school year was challenging for students and teachers because it was fully online (for most places). From all these changes “it is important…to understand the changing needs of parents and students as we emerge from the pandemic, and to engage with them to support students to learn and to thrive” (Dorn et al.).

Arthur Brewer

Dr. Crowther

English Composition

4/7/22

Do you ever wonder how people survive the coronavirus?  In this essay, I will be talking about covid vaccines.  Covid vaccines are important because they can help stop the spread of covid. There are many types of covid vaccines, all of which were developed differently and come with different risks.  I will be explaining the types of vaccines, when and how they were developed, and the side effects.  I will also explain the different proteins used to develop vaccines.

The three main types of vaccines are Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson.  Pfizer vaccines are important because they can help people survive the virus.  People of ages 5 and older are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine (CDC 10).  People who get the Pfizer vaccine will be fully vaccinated within 3-8 weeks after “2 shots in the primary series” (CDC 2).  Pfizer is an mRNA vaccine (CDC 4).  The shot is given “in the muscle of the upper arm” (CDC 5).  A booster shot should be given to anyone who is at least 12 years old “who received a Pfizer-BioNTech primary series” (CDC 3).

As opposed to Pfizer, one must be a legal adult in order to be eligible for the Moderna vaccine.  Moderna is essential because it can help prevent infection in a person and lowers the chances of death.  Anyone considered a legal adult is eligible for the Moderna vaccine (CDC 9).  In 4-8 weeks after “2 shots in the primary series” anyone will be fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine (CDC 2).  Moderna is an mRNA vaccine (CDC 4).  The shot is given in the same muscle as Pfizer (CDC 5).  If anyone is at least 18 years old and “received a Moderna primary series” they should get boosted (CDC 3).

Johnson and Johnson is vital because, like Pfizer and Moderna, it can also help stop the spread of covid and decrease the chance of dying.  The ages eligible for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are ages 18 and up (CDC 5).  It usually takes just one shot of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for a person to be fully vaccinated (CDC 4).  The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a viral vector (CDC 3).  The shot is given in the same muscle as Pfizer and Moderna (“the upper arm”) (CDC 6).  The people who should get boosted are those 18 years of age or older “at least 2 months” once they get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine (CDC 5).

Here’s how covid vaccines are developed.  The first stage is the exploratory stage.  The first step of development is to figure out the right antigen “of the pathogen to be included in the vaccine” (Rhodes 55).  They will then have to “determine the best way to administer” the antigen (Rhodes 55).  In the next stage, the preclinical stage, “tissue-culture techniques and animal studies” are used to determine “whether the candidate vaccine” will make its subject immune to the virus (Rhodes 55).  The three Rs used in the principle scientists use are “replacement of laboratory animals”, “reduction of animals”, and “refinement of experiments” (Rhodes 55).

“In phase I trials,” up to 149 people receive the candidate vaccine to find out if it’s safe and effective, which “constitutes the primary endpoint of the study” (Rhodes 56).  Scientists also use their chances “to determine potential efficacy” (Rhodes 56).  The goals of phase II trials are to put efficacy in place and to send out more info “about safety”, the “immune response” quality initiated by the vaccine, “the immunization schedule, and the optimal dose” (Rhodes 57).  The safety and potential efficacy of the candidate vaccine are measured by phase III trials (Rhodes 57).  To put effectiveness in place in the markets they aim for, global pharmaceutical companies finance phase III trials (Rhodes 57).  “The incidence of infections…in the vaccinated population compared with” those who don’t get vaccinated is what “the ultimate” vaccine efficacy test depends on (Rhodes 57).  Areas with high infection rates are where “vaccine trials are best conducted.  (Rhodes 57).

In the sixth and final stage of development, the vaccine goes through a regulatory review (Rhodes 58).  A vaccine is approved if it “passes through all three phases of clinical trials” (Rhodes 58).  A developer then “submits a Biologics License Application to regulatory authorities”, which are administered by “key organizations such as” the World Health Organization, the Food and Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Agency (Rhodes 58).  Vaccines are then manufactured and distributed.  

Here are the dates of development for the vaccines.  I will also explain the ingredients for the vaccines.  In May 2020, scientists first tested the covid vaccine on nine macaques for effectiveness (Rhodes 55).  The Pfizer vaccine “became the first mRNA vaccine” that the US Food and Drug Administration ratified (Le Page 19).  

Here are the ingredients for the Pfizer vaccine.  mRNA is one of the ingredients (CDC 22).  The lipids used to make the vaccine are “2[(polyethylene glycol (PEG))-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide”, “1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine”, cholesterol, and “((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate)” (CDE 22).  The lipids are meant to “help the mRNA enter cells”, which can transfer more genetic code from DNA to the ribosomes. (CDC 22).  The salts and sugar in the vaccine are “dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate”, “monobasic potassium phosphate”, “potassium chloride”, “sodium chloride”, and sucrose (CDC 22).  These salts all stabilize the vaccine molecules until the vaccine is ready to be administered (CDC 22).

Here are the ingredients for the Moderna vaccine.  mRNA is one of the ingredients (CDC 18).  The lipids used to make the vaccine include “PEG2000-DMG: 1,2-dimyristoyl-rac-glycerol, methoxypolyethylene glycol”, “1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine”, BotaniChol, and “SM-102: heptadecane-9-yl 8-((2-hydroxyethyl) (6-oxo-6-(undecyloxy) hexyl) amino) octanoate” (CDC 18).  These lipids are meant to get mRNA into the cells, thus increasing the genetic code from the nucleus carried to the ribosomes (CDC 18).  The other ingredients in this vaccine are “sodium acetate”, sucrose, tromethamine, “tromethamine hydrochloride”, and “acetic acid” (CDC 18).  These ingredients “help keep the vaccine molecules stable” until it is ready to be injected.

Here are the ingredients for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.  Unlike the two other types of vaccines, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine does not have mRNA.  One of the ingredients is “a harmless version of a virus” that is not covid (CDC 21).  This ingredient tells the body to construct a “harmless” covid protein, which is like an antibody (CDC 21).  The other ingredients for this vaccine are “polysorbate-80”, “2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin”, “trisodium citrate dihydrate”, “sodium chloride”, “citric acid monohydrate”, and ethanol (CDC 21).  The purpose of these ingredients is to stabilize the molecules in the vaccine until “it is ready to be given” to a person (CDC 21).

Lastly, I will explain the side effects of vaccines.  A person might experience a soreness on the arm where the shot was given.  A migraine might also occur the day after a person has been vaccinated, which usually only lasts for one day.  There are also some “cardiovascular and hematological” side effects that people might experience (Al-Ali 3).  These include “cardiac injury”, hemorrhage, “thrombotic events”, and thrombocytopenia (Al-Ali 4).

In conclusion, covid vaccines play a major role in increasing the chance of surviving covid.  The ingredients in the vaccines can put cells on alert.  The side effects usually don’t last longer than 24 hours.

Works Cited

Center for Disease Control.  “Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (also known as COMIRNATY) Overview and Safety.”  24 Mar. 2022,  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Pfizer-BioNTech.html.  Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

Center for Disease Control.  “Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (also known as Spikevax) Overview and Safety.”  22 Mar. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Moderna.html.  Accessed 27 Mar. 2022.

Center for Disease Control.  “Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Overview and Safety.”  22 Feb. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/janssen.html.  Accessed 2 Apr. 2022.

Rhodes, John. How to Make a Vaccine. ProQuest Ebook Central, 12 Apr. 2021, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gsu/reader.action?docID=6476960&query=how+to+make+a+vaccine.  Accessed 3 Apr. 2022

Le Page, Michael. “The future of medicine unlocked.”  16 Oct. 2021, https://eds.p.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=d2c0bb17-ad33-46ef-bc03-c4295e8161c2%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHNoaWImc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=153083325&db=fth.  Accessed 3 Apr. 2022

Al-Ali, Dana, et al. “Cardiovascular and haematological events post COVID-19 vaccination: A systematic review.”  1 Feb. 2022, https://eds.p.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&sid=3e124b28-9946-4a4d-8b9c-4a1c1ba79297%40redis.  Accessed 5 Apr. 2022