For a full year, the U.S. has been in lockdown, confined to their homes and wearing masks when going out. Because COVID-19 has proved to not be beatable by just staying at home and social distancing, the only thing to bring the country out of this long-lasting pandemic is the newly-developed vaccine.

The COVID-19 vaccine will prevent more people from getting the virus, and will bring the infection rate down. Getting the vaccine will be an important role in beating the virus once and for all, and will help the Westport community — along with the country as a whole — back to a sense of normalcy.

One of the leading vaccines, the Pfizer vaccine, has a 95% effectiveness rate of preventing COVID symptoms after two doses. Although it isn’t perfect, it will greatly decrease the chance of having symptoms, or will keep the symptoms mild.

Students getting vaccinated will decrease spreading in schools, one of the most crowded areas at the moment. It will also reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to an at-risk individual or someone with underlying health conditions.

Although it is a common and understandable worry to fear the safety of the vaccine, the vaccine will not cause harm. The vaccines were approved by the FDA only after many stages of careful testing, and will continue to be monitored for side effects or problems it might cause. Discomfort due to the actual shot may be the worst side effect from the COVID-19 vaccine for many people.

In many other countries of the world, like Australia and Singapore, concerts and sporting events can now happen as COVID-19 cases are being controlled due to the following of COVID-19 protocols. Even if the US needs the vaccine to keep cases down, these virus-free countries show that normal life can be returned to after everyone gets vaccinated.

The vaccine is overall safe and effective, and with it, the country will be able to return to life before the pandemic struck. Even if minors won’t be able to get the vaccine until the spring, I will be ready to take it as soon as possible in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19. I would also suggest those eligible to get the vaccine to do so in order to not waste any doses, and to help make the distribution of the vaccine as efficient as possible. The sooner people get the vaccine, the sooner the pandemic will be over.