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What a COVID-19 Vaccine Means for Our Future

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What a COVID-19 Vaccine Means for Our Future Santa’s elves have escaped and have hidden themselves all over the paper! Can you find all ten? (not including me!) VOLUME 17, ISSUE 3 “HOME OF THE PHANTOMS” DECEMBER 2020 PHOENIXVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL 1200 GAY STREET PHOENIXVILLE, PA 19460 What a COVID-19 vaccine means for our future Written tions. States will likely work with hospitals, clinics, long- by: term care facilities, and phar- Isabelle macies such as Walgreens and CVS to administer the vac- Butera cines. The incoming Biden Administration (which was largely excluded from brief- ings about vaccine distribu- As we reach the end of an tion during this transition unquestionably difficult year, period) pledges $25 billion to two major pharmaceutical com- ensure every American can panies offer a possible reprieve access the vaccine free of to the coronavirus pandemic: a cost. vaccine. Although we’ve long However, although a vac- PEOPLE (pages 2-3) awaited this news, what exactly The Pfizer vaccine presents a barrier for distribution, as it must be stored cine may soon be available for does this development mean for at -100 degrees Fahrenheit. use, not everyone in the United Aubrie Breisblatt the United States and when can Photo: CNN.com States may be willing to receive we expect to receive it? one. A Gallup Poll from late Octo- Kendall Nowak First of all, the process of de- vaccine may be administered im- the spike protein to the body’s ber indicates 42% of Americans do Emery Cole signing, testing, and receiving ap- mediately. cells. With a smaller sample size, not want to receive a COVID-19 proval for a vaccine is a rigorous While this process may seem ambiguous results, and an almost Vaccine, with respondents citing Michaela Shillinger endeavor that often takes years arduous, both the Pfizer and accidental breakthrough, the vac- the rushed timeline, safety con- from start to finish. Researchers Moderna vaccines have been ap- cine only has a 70% efficacy rate, cerns, and distrust of vaccines in NEWS (page 4) first test vaccine formulas on ani- proved and distribution has start- but is cheaper and easier to store, general. mals (usually lab rats) to identify ed in the United States. Both Pfiz- and will likely be approved for use Furthermore, distrust towards a The news you don’t see possible side effects and gauge er and Moderna reported efficacy in the UK shortly. covid vaccine is significantly higher AP Government elections antibody production. Once re- rates of 95% for their vaccines. Now with the FDA approval, among African American and Lati- searchers deem the vaccine safe The Pfizer and Moderna vac- Americans are now receiving the no communities. With the United OPINIONS (pages 5-7) and effective enough for human State’s infamous history of con- trials, three phases are initiated. ducting medical experiments on 2019 GAPP Exchange trip First, about a dozen partici- African Americans, such as the The silver linings of COVID pants receive doses of varying Tuskegee syphilis study (which sizes to determine human side studied syphilis in Black men in Top 5 funny characters effects and the correct amount the 1930’s, without informed for the vaccine to be effective consent or adequate treatment), Top 5 holiday albums and safe. Then, the vaccine is medical experts and community administered to a larger, repre- leaders face an additional re- Top 4 unbearable things sentative sample size (of several sponsibility to build trust in the A Netflix Christmas hundred, and tens of thousands vaccine with communities dis- for phase 2 and phase 3 respec- proportionately impacted by the SPEAK OUT! (pages 8-9) tively) to those with no health virus itself. conditions that may confound Americans can rest assured We asked PAHS staff: the results. Each participant that the major vaccine develop- What was the best gift you either receives the real vaccine Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Barack Obama all ers conducted scientifically pledged to publicly take a vaccine to demonstrate the safety and importance of or the placebo, which allows sound research, using placebos received for the holidays researchers to compare the coronavirus vaccinations. and double-blind studies virus positivity rates between Photo: The Guardian.com (meaning neither the partici- when you were younger? those with and without the vac- pants nor doctors in the study cine. cines utilize messenger RNA, a vaccine, starting with a New York were aware who received the ENTERTAINMENT Once a company’s phase three strand of genetic code from the City nurse as the first recipient of placebo or the vaccine). Studies (pages 10-12) trials reveal an efficacy rate great- virus, to instruct cells to produce the Pfizer vaccine. In the next were conducted under the super- er than 50%, they can submit an a “spike protein” of the virus several months, vaccine distribu- vision of an independent group of “The Queen’s Gambit” application for an Emergency Use (usually depicted as the spikes on tion will prioritize healthcare experts called the Data and Safety “The Grinch” (2018) Authorization license (EUA) to the outside of the virus which bind workers, frontline workers, peo- Monitoring board. Or, as Dr. the Food and Drug Administration to the receptors on the host cells ple over 65, and people with Fauci, head of the White House “Iron Harvest” (the US government agency re- spreading the disease in one’s preexisting conditions. Between Covid Response Team, assures, sponsible for regulating biological body). Your immune system rec- April and June, vaccines should be “The process of the speed did not “Avatar, the Last products such as medicines). After ognizes these proteins as foreign available for the general public, compromise at all safety, nor did it Airbender” a board of 15 infectious disease and develops the capacity to at- including teenagers. Most vaccines compromise scientific integrity.” specialists reviews the research tack them before you ever be- will likely require two doses, three While we have every right to be 2020 Holiday Gift Guide results from the vaccine, they come infected with the virus. to four weeks apart. By October excited about this monumental SPORTS (page 13) submit recommendations to the Another notable vaccine, devel- to December of 2021, herd im- scientific achievement, it’s worth FDA Commissioner who will ap- oped by British Pharmaceutical munity can be achieved if 75% or noting that distancing and mask PAHS Football prove or deny the request, a pro- company AstraZeneca, uses a more of the population is vac- wearing must continue at least cess usually lasting between 24 “vector vaccine,” which utilizes cinated. until herd immunity is achieved. Philadelphia Eagles and 72 days. Once approved, the the common cold virus to spread The next challenge for federal With U.S. Covid deaths now ex- and state govern- ceeding 300,000, cases surging in FOR FUN ments is forming a every state, and hospitals over- Horoscopes—pg. 14 plan to rapidly dis- whelmed with patients and short tribute the vaccines. on supplies, local health experts Holiday quiz—pg. 15 Under Operation reiterate the continued im- Warp speed, initiated portance of mask wearing and Featured artists—p.16 by the Trump Ad- social distancing. ministration, the Before and even after Ameri- Department of De- cans receive the vaccine, Dr. Fauci fense will distribute states, “I would recommend to pre-purchased 100 people to not abandon all public million vaccines in health measures just because you amounts proportion- have been vaccinated.” Further- al to populations to more, he reminds Americans a the states. From vaccine won’t instantly end the there, however, pandemic, saying “It’s going to be most of the responsi- a gradual accrual of more normali- bility is up to the ty as the weeks and the months states to determine go by, as we get well into 2021.” how to administer A participant receives a trial Pfizer vaccine at the University of Maryland. and track vaccina- Photo: NewYorkTimes.com *PEOPLE* Aubrie Breisblatt: Three sport superstar School. since she was five years old, so Written by: Aubrie has been playing varsity field that's 12 years of constant Kade Breisblatt hockey, basketball, and softball since her sports every single day. With freshman year. Playing three varsity dedication comes pressure, and sports as a freshman is very difficult. she described the difficulties of Many kids try She said, “I thought all the upperclass- succeeding at three sports as, to follow in their men hated me. They saw a freshman that “maintaining good grades, hav- parents’ footsteps. was there to compete and take their ing time to attend every prac- Senior Aubrie spot. It appeared to me that they got very tice and game, and sacrificing Breisblatt’s father Evan was also a three jealous. I was very nervous and scared to her social life.” However, this sport athlete in high school, playing foot- go against them because I was only a did not stop her from doing ball, basketball, and baseball. Evan freshman. I just knew that one day I was what she loves to do. As she Breisblatt scored 1,031 points in his bas- just trying to be the best, so I wanted to moved to her sophomore year, ketball career and led his sports teams to compete every day.” she started getting some atten- league championships at Unionville High Aubrie ended up in the starting lineup tion across the league for all School. Years later, his children, Aubrie, in two out of the three sports: field hock- three sports. She led her field The Breisblatts: Aubrie, Debbie, Avah, Evan, and Kade, and Avah have similar athletic goals. ey and softball. Aubrie is very good at all hockey team to the District One Kade in Ocean City New Jersey.
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