As the US approaches almost a year since the first sighting of COVID-19, there is hope on the horizon, especially within the BSM community. There are currently two COVID-19 vaccines that are authorized for use in the US: the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. These two vaccines have minor differences, but they both have proven to be very effective, with about a 95% success rate.

Out of a survey of 63 students within the BSM community, nearly 62% of students answered saying they know someone who has already received one of the vaccines. Additionally, those same students answered that they know of at least 18 more people who are set up to receive the vaccine in the coming weeks.

The people who have already received the vaccine or are lined up to get it in the near future are in the very first waves of the vaccine rollout. One student at BSM in particular is very connected to some people in the first wave of the rollout. “My dad is a surgeon so he works in the front lines and was able to receive the vaccine the second day it was available. My sister is an elementary school nurse and so is in the second wave of people to receive the vaccine much like teachers,” senior Meagan Watts said.

Because the COVID-19 vaccine was developed and produced pretty quickly compared to other vaccines, there has been some hesitation nationwide about getting the vaccine. Out of 61 students surveyed, 19 of them are not sure if they will take the vaccine quite yet when their vaccination time rolls around. Though, for Watts’ dad, who has been working on the front lines to combat and treat the spread of COVID-19, he was nothing but ready to receive the vaccine. “He [Watts’ dad] has been able to be informed about what is in [the vaccine], the side effects, and has watched the process develop. He was never worried because he had the facts and that made us all feel better about it [the vaccine],” Watts said.

For sophomore Kylie Wagner, some members of her family who are healthcare workers are also in the first few waves of the vaccine rollout. “My uncle is an ER doctor and my mom is a CRNA,” Wagner said.

Everyone has different reasons for wanting to get the vaccine, but there is one pretty common one across the board–slowing and decreasing the spread of COVID-19. “I would like to get the vaccine to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to protect others, such as my grandparents,” Wagner said.

BSM is a close-knit community and COVID-19 has taken a big toll on that, but with the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, along with the earliest rollouts of the vaccine so far, the days ahead are looking brighter for those within and connected to the BSM community.