Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine January 2021

Operation Warp Speed Yields Year of the Vaccine & Return to Normalcy

Finally, words of hope from even critics of the Trump administration. Yes, I heard a main-stream reporter use that language and Joe Scarrabough of Morning Joe said that President Trump deserved credit for Operation Warp Speed and the roll out of a vaccine in amazing time. While we are a long way from achieving herd immunity, some say late spring or summer and others the fall, just the fact that there is a vaccine is injecting a glimmer of hope into the conversation. While we must be viligent as we go into the “ long dark winter ” as President Biden refered to the next few months, we can be hopeful and begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine on December 11 and followed 7 days later on the 18 th with approval for Moderna Both have probable side effects. For Pfizer, “…t he most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasted several days, were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever. Of note, more people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose, so it is important for vaccination providers and recipients to

expect that there may be some side effects after either dose, but even more so after the second dose. ” Reported side effects for Moderna include the following: “… pain, tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection, swelling (hardness), and redness, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, nausea and vomiting, and fever .” The FDA warns that there is a “ remote chance of a severe allergic reaction with both vaccines which could include “…Difficulty breathing • Swelling of your face and throat • A fast heartbeat • A bad rash all over yo ur body • Dizziness and weakness .” The Pfizer vaccine is approved for ages 16 and older while Moderna is for ages 18 or older.