COVID-19 has affected the world for over a year and new reports continue to roll in each day. A new vaccine has been authorized, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (also known as the Janssen vaccine), which is only available to people 18 years or older. What makes this vaccine different from other vaccines is this only takes one dose as opposed to the two in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine. The number of people able to take the vaccine starts to increase as millions of Americans are starting to take it. It’s been announced all adults will become eligible for the vaccine on April 19th, earlier than Biden’s expected deadline;  Nevada has now made the Pfizer vaccine available to all people of the age of 16. New strains of the COVID-19 have been found in different locations and have been proven to possibly be less effective with the vaccine but will still offer protection against the virus.

“As far as these variants are concerned, we don’t need to overreact,” Raj and Kamla Gupta Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University, Robert Bollinger states. “But, as with any virus, changes are something to be watched, to ensure that testing, treatment, and vaccines are still effective. The scientists will continue to examine new versions of this coronavirus’s genetic sequencing as it evolves.”

Nevada has launched mobile vaccination units to increase access and distribution of the vaccine. These pop-up units will be offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and will offer it to many more communities where it isn’t available close to them in return increasing the amount of vaccinated Americans in rural areas. 

“These mobile units – coupled with expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility across the State – are major milestones for the State of Nevada and our road to recovery,” said Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak. “It’s imperative that every eligible Nevadan has access to these life-saving vaccines, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with FEMA and so many other volunteers who helped bring these mobile units to the Silver State. This will help complement our ongoing efforts to provide equitable distribution to populations in rural and tribal areas.”

An improved child tax credit has been added to the American Rescue Act that will give periodic payments to parents and the remainder issued when recipients file their taxes. New developments on unemployment benefits such as extending aid through Sept. 100 billion has also been set aside for the workforce among underserved groups including an increase in pay for caregivers. Though as new hope is being found with this pandemic, social distancing still has great importance and is still encouraged through the whole process of recovery. 

“It’s not going to be the way it was with polio and measles, where you get a vaccine, case closed, it’s done,” Anthony Fauci said. “It’s going to be public health measures that linger for months and months.”