The light at the end of the tunnel is here

I’ve always said I can endure anything as long as I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thankfully, the light at the end of tunnel for the coronavirus pandemic is here.

On Dec. 11, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the first COVID-19 vaccine in the United States from Pfizer-BioNTech. As the only pharmacist currently serving in Congress, I understand that this record-breaking, unprecedented achievement is nothing short of a miracle. The tide is turning against this virus, once and for all.

With the help and support of the federal government through Operation Warp Speed (OWS), Pfizer-BioNTech followed by Moderna were able to bring safe and effective vaccines to market in less than a year from the time Chinese scientists released the virus’ genome.

So, how was it done so quickly? The answer — a public-private partnership unlike any before it, led by President Trump’s OWS initiative. Under the president’s leadership, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked tirelessly with the private sector to plan and assist with the costs of designing vaccines, staging clinical testing, and reviewing data on the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness.

These efforts resulted in some of the safest and most effective vaccines ever created. Preliminary data shows the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to be more than 95 percent effective after two doses. In comparison, the flu vaccine is, at best, 60 percent effective in any given year. Both companies have reported very limited side effects for their COVID-19 vaccines including potential short-term pain at the site of injection, fatigue, and headaches — very similar side effects to the flu vaccine.

I am so confident in the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines that I participated in a double-blind placebo trial for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine myself. I recently learned that I received the vaccine during the trial, cementing my confidence in the vaccine.

America has the greatest scientific minds in the world. We have the gold standard of approval set by the FDA, a standard that every other country uses for guidance and direction. This should give every American confidence that these vaccines are completely safe and effective.

Now that vaccines have been approved, the next challenge is ensuring every American who wants to be vaccinated can be in the next several months. President Trump was able to secure distribution contracts for the delivery of the Moderna vaccine throughout the country, while Pfizer is working with the CDC and OWS to deliver their vaccines using their own logistical resources.

Most Americans will need to wait a few months before they can receive the vaccine. At the advice of the CDC, most states have enacted immunization plans that involve vaccinating health care workers first, followed by nursing home residents and employees. The general public will follow, with an emphasis on those with pre-existing conditions and comorbidities.

The head of OWS, Moncef Slauoi, has stated they expect nearly 100 million Americans to be vaccinated within the next 100 days. They estimate roughly 20 million in December, 30 million in January, and 50 million in February. This means that nearly 1/3 of our entire country can be vaccinated in just three months.

We are nearing the end of this vicious virus.

As a pharmacist, health care professional, and vaccine trial participant, I would strongly encourage every single American to seriously consider receiving the vaccine when it becomes available to you.

Vaccines are the single most life-saving innovation ever in the history of medicine. The COVID-19 vaccines will be no exception.

We can only defeat this virus if we work together by receiving the immunization, wearing a mask, washing your hands, and social distancing.

America has been tested time and time again, yet we always come out on the other end stronger. I have no doubt that this pandemic will be no different.

We will beat this virus, and we will be stronger, together, because of it.

Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.) represents the 1st District of Georgia in the United States House of Representatives. He is the only pharmacist currently serving in Congress.