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The race to come up with a safe and reliable vaccine against COVID-19 continues to keep pharmaceutical companies around the world on their toes.

Source: Pexels

Recently, Pfizer and partner BioNTech announced that their version of the vaccine is heading in the right direction.

The said vaccine is being tested in the United States. Findings reveal that those who got the vaccine reported 90% fewer cases of COVID-19-related symptoms as compared to those who received a placebo.

Further studies will still be needed but this is a positive development that might bring us closer to finally ending the pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC in the United States are closely monitoring developments of the vaccine being developed by various firms aside from Pfizer.

The United States hopes to produce a safe vaccine before the end of 2020 then ramp up supplies by 2021 to accommodate more people. Whether the US would meet its goal is yet to be seen.

However, the CDC has come up with answers to some pressing questions if a vaccine will be rolled out soon. Here are some of them:

How many shots do I need to be safe from the virus?

There are currently four vaccines that are in Phase 3 or undergoing large-scale clinical trials in the US.

So far, the three vaccines under trial require two shots to achieve results. The other vaccine needs only one shot.

Is wearing a mask still necessary even though I'm about to get vaccinated?

Yes, it is still required. Wearing a face mask is still necessary even during the procedure. It is safe to say that wearing a mask, practicing social distance, and frequent washing of hands should still be practiced until the threat of COVID-19 has been managed and thoroughly understood by the experts.

Until when should I wear a mask even though there's already a vaccine available?

Health experts are yet to find out the extent of the vaccine's efficiency in stopping the virus. Until then, wearing a face mask would still be highly advised.

Do we have to pay for the vaccine?

There is no sure answer to this as this would vary from one country to another. The truth is that it's unlikely that the vaccine would be given for free as there will still be certain fees to be charged no matter how minimal. In our case, President Rodrigo Duterte has issued mixed statements on whether the vaccine would be given for free or not regardless if we get it from the US or not.

I'm a COVID-19 survivor. Should I still get a vaccination?

Doctors and scientists are still studying the extent of a former COVID-19 patient's natural immunity against the virus. So far, studies are still being conducted to determine whether those who recovered from COVID-19 are susceptible to reacquiring the virus.