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Differences in Covid-19 Vaccination rates between countries

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                One of the most crucial ways of tackling the recent Covid-19 pandemic is the production and administration of the vaccine. When we think about which countries we would assume to have the best infrastructure and ability to deliver vaccines the fastest, it would probably be those with the highest Human Development Index in the world: Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and Germany. However, recent data has shown that the top 5 countries in vaccination rates per capita are not at the top of the HDI list nor are they from one specific region of the world. As of last week, the countries with the highest rate of Covid-19 vaccinations are Israel with 99 vaccines administered per 100 people, the UAE with 63, the UK with 33, the US with 26 and Serbia with 24. The reason for Israel’s high vaccination rate was that it negotiated a deal for an early and large supply of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in exchange for providing medical data to Pfizer about the impact of the vaccine.
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Response to COVID-19

       The one thing I have thought about a lot in the past year is how the U.S. dealt with coronavirus. As someone in the science and medical field, I think we did not respond well to the virus at all. We were definitely aware of the first case in December 2019. So the fact that we didn't start a lockdown until mid March is absolutely crazy to me. I understand that a lockdown would affect the economy, but it still ended up negatively impacting the economy and so many people died too unfortunately. When I found out that President Trump signed a bill that cut more than a billion dollars for Prevention and Public Health Fund, I was so angry. We are so privileged to even have a program that helps prevent pandemics and the fact that he tried so hard to get rid of it is really upsetting.     Since I saw how the U.S. was handling the pandemic, I was curious to see how other countries were handling it. From what I saw, it looked like Australia was handling it really well. The most cases
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Growing up in an affluent neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago and having a parent who worked for the State of Illinois, I took advantage of the access to healthcare and flexible insurance policy I had. I never gave these things much thought, but one day in my junior year of high school, my history teacher said, "Look around at your classmates. Why do you think no one in this room is obese?" The answer was: we lived in an affluent town with grocery stores and pharmacies available every 5 miles and attended a well-funded high school that had gyms and athletic programs. I am privileged enough to say that that was my first experience with social determinants of health (SDOH), and it is very unfair—not for me, but for everyone who does not even get the chance to be in my position. In my opinion, social determinants of health impact the quality of life and the susceptibility of an   individual to a health issue more than genetics, and this is something that needs to be explici
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Analysis Paralysis

  Analysis Paralysis  With the recent emergency use authorization of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by the FDA, we now have three COVID-19 vaccines available in the US.  This is great news as it is another weapon we can use in the fight to limit the spread of COVID.  However, in our current social climate where conspiracies and misinformation are seemingly at the forefront of everything, people are increasingly skeptical about receiving these vaccines.   I was talking with my mom this past week and this topic about COVID-19 vaccines came up.  My grandma was recently able to receive the first dose of the Moderna vaccine and I was curious if she experienced any side effects as that was a concern of hers.  Fortunately, she only had some soreness which was not nearly as bad as her past shingles shot.  According to the clinical trials, the Moderna vaccine is reported to be about 94% effective at preventing COVID-19; similar to the Pfizer-BioNTech one with about 95% efficacy.  My mom is e
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Now We Wait

    A few summers ago, I got really sick while visiting family in China. It wasn't until I woke up running a 103 F fever one morning that I went to a hospital there. Even in a state of fever-induced delirium, I remember being worried about the wait time, or not making an appointment-- things I'm used to with US hospitals-- or the potentially complicated paperwork involved with being a visitor from out of the country. I thought it might've been better to keep taking ibuprofen and just tough it out.  Surprisingly, I was seen by a doctor not long after arriving at the hospital. They conducted a quick blood test to determine if I had an infection, and I was able to pick up my medications and leave the hospital within an hour. The entire visit was very streamlined. My relatives in China told me this was normal. A few months ago, my friend spoke to me about her experience taking her mom to the emergency department in the US. Her mom had a systolic blood pressure above 180 mm Hg a
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COVID Vaccine

      Working in retail pharmacy, I've seen more than my fair share of barriers to medication access. From transportation to monetary issues, there are a vast amount of ways that patients can be prevented from getting the care they need. In regard to the COVID vaccinations, this is especially predominant. For example, the area I work in has a high elderly population who are some of the highest on the list for receiving the vaccine. This patient group is well-known for their challenges with technology, so online scheduling - which is seen as more convenient - is quite the opposite for them. This goes for any appointment, but is currently more pressing with getting vaccinations to the public. There isn't enough vaccine supply to allow for walk-in administration at this time and the current supply has strict time and temperature restraints that severely limit its use. Given time this restriction will no longer be an issue, especially with the introduction of the Johnson & John
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Dear Americans: This is Why New Zealanders' Lives Are Back to Normal and Yours Are Not

 It comes as no surprise that American culture is vastly different from other western nations. In fact, many Americans find pride in this fact, but is it really that great? With the onset of the recent pandemic, America and its people have highlighted the qualities and traits that separate them as a whole from their European counterparts. The initial response to SARS-CoV-2 was alarming yet unsurprising in the United States. From its former commander-in-chief downplaying the virus publicly to its citizens assaulting anyone enforcing masking protocols, America could not form a united front against a common enemy. What is to blame for this? Individualism is not a bad start. The states in our country are anything but united. Protocols to combat this novel virus varied from state-to-state, county-to-county, and even town-to-town. But why? Because the mere thought of "inconveniencing" yourself (i.e. wearing a mask and social distancing) due to a virus more deadly to others around y
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