People might require regular booster shots to fight new variants of the virus.
But experts say it s impossible to vaccinate everyone yearly, so the virus will continue to circulate.
As the pandemic approaches its second year, the coronavirus has morphed into a tougher foe.
Several mutations that scientists have identified in rapidly spreading variants are particularly worrisome. They raise concerns that these strains will be more contagious or be able to at least partly evade protection provided by vaccines and by prior infections.
Let s be clear: No one knows how the next phase of the pandemic will play out. Is a new strain already spreading undetected or lurking around the corner? How effective will these vaccines be in the long run? And just when can we think about returning to schools and offices, or getting together with older relatives again?
Your local doctor might not get access to the COVID-19 vaccine here s why Emily Canal Healthcare workers get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination at the Legacy Emanuel Medical Centre on December 16, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. Many independently-owned doctors offices say they don t have access to COVID-19 vaccines and have heard little from the federal or state governments about if or when they might receive doses. Hospitals, large retail pharmacies, and federally-qualified health centres are the main distributors of the vaccine, sources told Insider. So far, they have vaccinated nearly 9 million individuals in the US, according to the Centres for Disease Control. That s 11 million people less than the federal government s estimate of 20 million vaccinated Americans by the end of 2020.