Dr. Anthony Fauci, the United States' top infectious disease expert, called on the public to prepare to be vaccinated and "be part of the solution" once it is made available as the nation prepares for the first batch of vaccines to tackle COVID-19.
Call on Americans to Be Vaccinated
Fauci has requested Americans to be "part of the solution" to the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing themselves to be administered a vaccine "sooner rather than later" when it is made accessible.
The top U.S. infectious disease expert ruminated on implementing new vaccines across the United States in an interview with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Monday, reported Independent.
He advised Americans to say to themselves they are not going to be a "stepping stone" for the virus to get transmitted. Instead, they should be a "dead end" to the virus, reported Deseret News.
In the next two to three weeks, to prepare for the arrival of vaccines, U.S. states are testing their vaccine data systems and submitting documents that are then received by a U.S. CDC clearinghouse.
"All the states are going through testing. Everybody's got to pass that test to make sure that they can transmit data, that their providers are enrolled successfully, that they can transmit orders and receive communication in the data system," according to Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, reported CNN.
According to the COVID Tracking Project, the virus has been prevalent quickly, and November set records 20 times for the tally of novel coronavirus hospitalizations.
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Dr. Fauci remarked individuals who refuse to be administered the vaccine would remain "part of the problem."
"As long as you're susceptible you're part of the problem not part of the solution. When you're protected you're another person the virus can't impact," said Fauci.
The initial two vaccines accessible to Americans would be shipped in a couple of weeks, according to data from the federal government's Operation Warp Speed.
The first shipment of Pfizer's vaccine candidate would be delivered on December 15, and Moderna's vaccine candidate would commence delivery on December 22.
The most recent COVID-19 hospitalizations recorded on Monday was 96,039.
According to the data provided by the Johns Hopkins University, the United States has reached over 13.5 million cases and 268,045 fatalities.
Fauci explained to Zuckerberg that despite someone not experiencing serious symptoms of the coronavirus, they could still transmit the respiratory illness.
He added, "If you're vulnerable even if you don't get a lot of symptoms the fact that you've been infected means that you're inadvertently propagating the outbreak."
CDC's advisory panel advised on Tuesday that health care and long-term care workers would be immunized first as the vaccines are disseminated.
The outline indicated that on December 15, the initial shots of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine would be distributed.
According to health experts, the effects of Thanksgiving travel would not be felt for weeks.
Holiday gatherings, including Thanksgiving and incoming Christmas and Hanukkah, are the most suitable setup for asymptomatic people to "innocently and inadvertently" transmit the virus to their family, reported another article from CNN.
This month, Pfizer and Moderna declared their vaccines tested 94.5 percent and 95 percent effective.
The vaccine candidates have been applied for emergency use authorizations from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Officials are currently preparing for the first wave of vaccine dissemination.
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