UK Core Issue: How Do We Distribute Covid Vaccines?

Many residents in Kentucky, the USA, and the world are wondering when a vaccine will soon come to our aid. There is still no timeline yet due to the ongoing testing of a few potential vaccine candidates. That certainly doesn't mean that elected health officials shouldn't be planning in advance for when a vaccine is available. Throughout the distribution of the vaccine there will be many questions risen such as: the quantity of vaccines, the most targeted population to receive the vaccine, and how to avoid chaos during distribution. All of these concerns are valid and a plan must be developed before the vaccine is distributed in order to limit potential conflict. 

In order to know how to distribute the vaccine, I believe that the first issue that should be taken into consideration is who will obtain the vaccination if there is limited quantity. There is still a lot to discover about COVID-19 but what scientists do know is that individuals that are 65 years and older have a weaker immune system to fight off infections. Also, most individuals that are 65 and older live in nursing homes where social isolation and infection control is difficult. Therefore I would begin by giving the vaccination ot the elderly and then reviewing the quantity of supplies available. The other group that is most vulnerable to the virus are the healthcare and public safety workers. Therefore, I would provide the vaccination to them at their workplace. If there were more vaccinations on hand then I would provide it to young children because, although it thought not to be true, children are also susceptible to the virus after evidence from the recent infection statistics. This would be the most logical way to sift through the most vulnerable groups and decide who will receive the vaccine. 

After extinguishing the questions of who will receive the vaccination first, then there is the issue of how to distribute it. As far as nursing homes are concerned, I believe that there should be teams covering certain care centers and then distributing the vaccine to residents at those facilities. After all the facilities have received the vaccine then I would contact all other residents that do not live in nursing homes and then provide the vaccination to them. When it came time to hand out the vaccination to the general public then I would set up distribution centers all across town and notify each person on which center they were assigned to so to prevent confusion and over burdening on a certain center. 

Although this is a thought out plan, there are other factors that need to be considered such as: what if the vaccine supply runs out, what if citizens get angry that their health was put in line behind others, etc. The only solution I have to these particular conflicts is that the only number of citizens that are contacted are the only number of vaccines available. This would limit the crowds and conflict if the vaccine supply was depleted. Although getting selfish and frustrated is human nature, I would ask that everyone remain calm because everyone will be treated. If this didn't dissuade the public then I would call on the public safety teams to help protect the workers handing out the vaccines and the vaccination supply. There are still so many unanswered what-ifs but I believe that this is as good of place as any to begin the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. 

CDC unveils coronavirus vaccine distribution plan

Fun In the Midst of the Pandemic

 Although COVID-19 hasn't been relatively easy on anyone, there are always different options to make a bad situation a little more tolerable. These options include: memes, funny videos, heartful photos, and having fun with family. This is the first pandmeic where technology is readily available and it enhances our communication with other even though we are shut in a t home. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been used to show friends and family what is going on in loved ones lives even though they can't physically be together. Here are a few examples of how individuals can make light hearted jokes in this hard time: 

Hello (from the Inside) An Adele Parody by Chris Mann

Phases of 2020 in the USA

Pandemic Life In The UK

Memes About the Pandemic:

Food Uncertainty and Gardening Effects on my Family's Small Business

In the Spring when the effects of the pandemic began to heighten, citizens went into panic mode due to America's food supply chain uncertainty. This event led to over buying of essential items and limited food stocks. When families realized that they may not be able to acquire the necessary foods in order to feed themselves, their thoughts turned to gardening. 

As I have stated before my family owns a lawn, garden, and feed store in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. We sell a variety of items ranging from feed and hay to lawn mowers, trimmers, and garden supplies. We had become worried about the effect that COVID-19 would have on our local business. Thankfully our business was able to stay open, unlike many other small business in our town, which was a true blessing. Little did we know was that it was going to be one of our biggest years yet. We have a greenhouse on our farm where we raise garden plants to sell at our store. This year we raised 10,000 plants and they were all bought in as little as two months. I can remember loading a gooseneck cattle trailer full of plants almost every night because we had sold so many plants that our racks needed to be restocked. All while selling out of plants, our seed supply was also being diminished. Year after year my Dad has to calculate to see how much stock he thinks we will need for the next year in order to have an adequate supply to sell. When he planned for this year he knew it was going to be our biggest sales year yet, but not to this degree. Only by the middle of spring we had sold all of our plants and seed and we were turning customers away because we didn't have any more, my Father tried to call all of the seed companies he could to try to find more. Unfortunately, there was no more to be given because the demand for garden supplies were astonishing. So, we sold all the seed we had left and we were grateful for the sales year that we didn't think we would have. 

After people raise their gardens they have to have a way to preserve their harvest so many people turn to canning. Crazy enough now that many people had raised gardens, there was also a limited supply of canning supplies. Usually you will see supplies like jars, lids, rings, canning salt, and mixes in all kinds of stores like Walmart, Kroger, and many small gardening businesses but this year that wasn't the case. Many of the factories that make these supplies had to shut down because of the pandemic. Since there was a high demand and a shortage at the same time there wasn't any canning supplies to be found. Our business usually has a stock of the supplies but after the first month or two of harvest our shelves were also bare. Our family was lucky because we got the supplies from our business, but we still had to resort to freezing some of our vegetables because we ran out of supplies.

Although COVID-19 has been a burden for many, it has turned out well for my family in the long run. We have had a great year as far as our business is concerned, but we have also had extra time to devote to increasing our garden capacity and our harvest in our pantry. We canned over a hundred quarts of beans, 10 quarts of corn, 15 quarts of pickles, and got about 150 pounds of potatoes that we canned some of and also stored in our cellar. In addition my family harvested squash, zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, and egg plant that we just ate without preserving. As well as increasing our chicken flock in order to have eggs on hand instead of purchasing them from the store. This food supply will hold our family of four for about a year until we raise our garden again. The shut down gave many families the opportunity to get outside and learn how to grow their own food without having to rely upon the markets and stores which really warms a person's heart to see them learning skills that humans have forgotten about.

 

Food Supply Crisis During COVID-19

As the pandemic progressed, so did fear. This fear led to a food shortage brought on by little to no knowledge of the pandemic. As fear spread people began to worry that they wouldn't be able to escape quarantine to be able to go to the store. As people flocked to the markets more and more food was being snatched up and couldn't be replenished fast enough. Government officials made hast to reassure citizens and to urge them not to take more food than was necessary for their family. Sadly, this effort didn't make an impact and staple items such as: rice, beans, canned food, non-perishables, milk, bread, and eggs were taken and hardly any was left for people who were too late. This conflict would lead food insecurity statistics to almost double in as little as a year. My family and I were lucky because we have chickens that we raise for eggs, cattle that we raise for meat, and a garden for vegetables. We were set as far as the main food groups go but we would still make our weekly journey to the store to get items that we couldn't raise. Every time we went it got harder and more difficult to find items we needed. This war for food lasted for quite a while in the beginning of COVID-19. Although we are still trying to defeat the virus, the supply chain in America is now beginning to tug its way to stability and we can finally readily find items that we need. The pandemic diet; however, is still hanging with citizens. Since individuals were laid off or began working from home it allowed families to let loose of their diets and so they began to cook. Cooking during this uncertain time was a way for families to reconnect and spend time with one another. What with restaurants being closed, family and I cooked breakfast and dinner together almost everyday and, oftentimes, my Mom and I would find ourselves baking in the kitchen. Food helped many of us cope with the uncertainties of the pandemic and it gave us something to do while being stuck home. Now since my Mom has gone back to work we have begun our dieting back and I can tell how much the food that we ate for a few months impacted the way I felt. Eating healthier has led me to see that what we do and what we consume however short a time cna affect our mental and physical health. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stfYPvKYhlY

The Medias Influence on the Pandemic

 It used to be that the news was a trusted source of information. Now, it is well believed to heighten issues around the world and cause uneasiness among the population. In such uncertain times humans will grasp for straws in order to learn more about the current situation with the pandemic. But how reliable is the information that we are being given, and how trustworthy are vulnerable citizens of what may be referred to as "fake news". 

The media would like to instill a sense of fear into viewers by providing the most serious and worst case scenarios. For example, when the pandemic began the American medias were telling viewers that the nation's food supply chain was failing. People began flocking to markets and stores to get everything that was available. This led to a depletion of essential items such as meat, canned goods, non-perishables, milk, and bread. But when there are unknown scary situations, it is human nature to panic. That is why I believe that, although the pandemic is extremely real, it tends to get heightened to non-normal limits by the media and that is when it becomes risky for the national well being.

Believe it or not, there are sources of media that can be trusted. I receive my news from our local government such as the Kentucky Governor, Andy Beshear. Everyday the Governor provides updates on accurate numbers of cases within our state and tells Kentuckians what we can do to help better the health of our state. As far as COVID-19 facts outside of my home state, I choose to believe the federal government. They have been elected and are dedicated to seeing the United States thrive so I believe that the federal government will do their best to protect and inform citizens. Now the question is where do I get my information from regarding the media? Believe it or not there are reliable and fairly trustworthy media sources. I get my information from PBS News, BBC News, and ABC News. Although no source of media is going to be completely trustworthy, I have found that these media outlets are easier to sift through and find the facts. 

Although there are some more reliable sources of news than others, it is always important to check the facts. If everyone did, then they would know when to call the medias bluff. A large portion of the population that accepts fake news are the older generations. For example, whenever I speak to someone older they always tell me what is going on in the nation. Since the news media blows small facts into large proportions it creates fear within them. By targeting more susceptible areas of viewers, the media creates a wave that continues to grow larger until everyone believes this piece of news. That is why it is always good to check your sources and their information because a small piece of fake news can develop into a large fear. 

The following video will show how to find facts about the pandemic within the media.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDpA-BxoIvE

UK Students Strive to Stay on Campus

To put the situation lightly, my senior year of high school was screeched to halting stop. No one, not even the teachers, knew when we would be back and most still didn't realize that the virus was going to become as harsh as it did. Students were eager to run out of the school building in hopes for a break, and frankly I was too. Little did we know was that the chaos of rushing out of the building that we have known for 4 years was the seniors last time leaving as a student. Now that I look back on the situation, I often wonder what the emotions would have been if the seniors had known that our last day truly was our last. In an instant that last farewell was snatched from our midst and we'll never get that experience back. I'll never get to tell my teachers thank you for all the influence they had instilled within me, nor will I get to say good bye to classmates that I will, more than likely, never see again. 

Since leaving high school, freshman in college have now begun to get a grasp on what school feels like again. These are experiences that will not be easily given up. That is why I think that our University can make it to the end of the semester. We have such a drive and will to have the human contact as we once did. In this new version of life we yearn to make new friends and to have someone there to understand the situations we are in everyday. We want to be surrounded with people our age so that we can all support one another. So, I passionately believe that we as a student body will follow the rules to be able to stay on campus in person. 

Some of the rules that will aid in keeping students on campus are: wearing masks, staying socially distanced, washing our hands, using hand sanitizer, and getting tested for the virus. One of these rules that I believe has made a huge impact is being distanced from one another. For example, in my nursing class what once used be a room that could be filled with forty to fifty students is now cut into half. There are only two students allowed per row and there are about seven rows on each side of the classroom. This way we can be spread apart, but still all get to communicate with one another while staying safe. Social distancing is not just being practiced in the classrooms but also in dining areas, outside, and on the busses. By following these rules in every location on campus students will decrease their risk of contracting the virus. I believe that obeying rules like this one is how students show that they care about keeping on another safe to keep themself on campus. 

Socially Distanced Classroom Example

                                                     Social Distancing on the Bus Example