As COVID-19 began in the United States in March of 2020, it will soon be a whole year of the pandemic. Coronavirus has been a deterrent in the lives of many as it is still rapidly spreading, infecting 105.2 million. With many not taking the virus seriously, infection rates are climbing through the roof.

As of January 25, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom lifted the stay at home order for all California residents, allowing for restaurants and shops to open. 

The New York Times reported that the federal government will be sending one million doses to about 6,500 pharmacies across the country on February 11, 2021. A launch of a federal program will mark the beginning of a new stage in the massive vaccination campaign where the United States will deliver vaccines to as many as 40,000 drugstores and grocery stores. Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens are among the chains that are set to be administering the vaccine. The Center for Disease Control recommends for those who are awaiting the vaccine to check whether it is available and who qualifies. 

Dr. Fauci, the country’s top disease expert, has stated that at least 70% of the United States population should be vaccinated before the country can return to a sense of normalcy. As of the second of February, 32,780,860 doses have been administered. This is not the number of those who have been fully vaccinated since some vaccines do require more than one dose, making the percentage of those fully vaccinated much lower at approximately 1.5% as of January 30, 2021 according to Our World in Data.

As vaccines begin to be rolling out, new highly infectious variants have been circulating globally. These variants were first identified in the United Kingdom, South Africa, as well as Brazil. These new variants have made their way into the United States with 546 total reported cases as of February 2, 2021 according to the Center for Disease Control. 

If vaccinations are properly administered and taken, it is anticipated that we will return to regularity as we cut down on the coronavirus.