After months of being quarantined, we finally have some leads for when a vaccine for COVID-19 will be coming out. According to usatoday.com two vaccines for  COVID-19 have been authorized in the United States: the Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Moderna’s vaccine began arriving across the world just three days after it was authorized for emergency use. 

Then there’s the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is currently being offered to healthcare workers and nursing home residents.

As vaccines are rolling out  across the country, teachers voice varying viewpoints regarding future vaccination.

History teacher Christi Judd is leaning towards taking the vaccine when offered. 

“Because of my son’s health condition, we have been isolated since March,” Judd said. “I am happy that the vaccine is going to be available soon. We will wait for Ethan (Judd’s son) because studies are still happening with kids, so it will be awhile before we can have him vaccinated.”

Biology teacher Taylour Hudson notes that she was in disbelief at the fact that the vaccine is already out.

“I feel surprised. That’s my first reaction,” Hudson said. “I didn’t expect for the vaccine to be made this quickly.”

According to houstonmethodist.org, vaccine development usually takes years and even decades. However, while the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is indeed a new virus, it’s similar to SARS and MERS — coronaviruses that previously made the jump from animals to people. This means that experts weren’t starting completely from scratch.

 Geometry teacher Sean Welge is also optimistic about the fact that the vaccine is coming out.

“I am happy that they developed a vaccine,” Welge said. “I just hope that it doesn’t create a false sense of security and that people understand it is only one component of getting the disease to stop spreading (along with social distancing, masks.”

According to abcnews.go.com, Dr. Jay Bhatt and Dr. Shazia Ahmed state that the vaccine will only be one component for fighting the disease, and that everyone should understand that they still need to socially distance, wear a mask and be cautious.

Hudson plans to get the vaccine, but she admits that she isn’t looking forward to it.

“I’ll be honest, there’s definitely a part of me that is, like everyone else is, a little bit worried or weary,” Hudson said. “I also know that I do want things to return to normal, or some form of normalcy. And I know that the only way I can really go into the world the way I used to before, is by being vaccinated.”  

Hudson mentions that her generation hasn’t really lived through a huge pandemic where novel vaccines are quickly distributed to the public.

“A concern is that it’s just that it’s so new,” she said. I think that generation,those who lived through that, know, and they have this faith, you know. When a vaccine comes, you take it on, but we’ve always been in a generation where the vaccines have been around for years.We’ve never really had to be the first one to take any vaccine.”