For general public, patience, precautions required before COVID shots become widely available

By this time next year, the COVID-19 vaccine should be as readily available as a flu shot.

At the end of a very difficult year, it is health care workers who got an early Christmas. They are first in line for the Pfizer vaccine, approved just days ago for emergency use.

"I’m so excited for the COVID vaccine," said Dr. Alexa Mieses Malchuk of UNC Family Medicine. "Honestly if it was available yesterday, last month I’m so eager to get it."

She's already hearing from patients wondering when their turn will come.

"They want more information about how to get vaccinated, so it truly is an exciting time," she said.

Lenora Cochran, a senior citizen, had been taking extra precautions every time she goes out for months.

“I realize just how serious this disease is," she said. "So many people are dying. I don’t want to die.”

Cochran is eager to get that shot of hope.

“The tested it on quite a few people," she said. "I think it is fairly safe.”

Malchuk knows she'll have some patients less eager.

"It just proves how much work we as a medical community have to do. I hope attitudes will change over time as these vaccines continuously prove to be safe," she said.

“There’s still a lot of information that we need to learn in the medical community about how long the vaccines are effective for – in other words how long your body will keep up that immunity, so just because you had a vaccine or just because you had COVID in the past, it’s not a reason to stop taking the precautions that are necessary to keep you and your loved ones safe."

Once the pharmaceutical companies can keep up with the demand – that timeframe is not clear – the vaccine will be available for free to all Americans. Local pharmacies will have shots available for COVID just like they do for the flu.