A prevalent misconception among the public is the belief that there hasn't been enough research conducted to trust the COVID-19 vaccine. Contrary to this notion, the vaccine has been in development for over a decade, part of the same rigorous research and development (R&D) process as other vaccines.

You may have encountered this statement repeatedly:

“I don’t believe there was enough time for thorough research, so I’m not sure about its safety.”

This is a common rationale for those hesitant about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Many are skeptical due to the belief that the vaccine was developed too quickly, which prevented adequate longitudinal studies and clinical trials. They often cite the few rare adverse events (for example, 15 reported U.S. cases of cerebral thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome from over 8 million recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) as proof of its supposed danger.

It's understandable to feel apprehensive. Vaccine hesitancy arises for many reasons. Personally, I dislike receiving vaccines; the experience before, during, and after is uncomfortable. Moreover, I have an autoinflammatory condition that unpredictably weakens my immune system, leading to severe illness that can require hospitalization.

We are navigating uncharted territory. Since no one alive today has experienced a global pandemic of this scale, we have all encountered numerous unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19. Many individuals may even be experiencing post-traumatic stress after 2020, alongside anxiety about emerging variants and their implications for the future. Given this context, it's natural to feel apprehensive about a vaccine developed for a novel pandemic.

However, it's crucial to recognize that the rationale of “not enough research” is fundamentally flawed. A substantial amount of research and development, exceeding a decade, has gone into this vaccine.

Dr. Tom Frieden, the former director of the CDC and NYC Health Commissioner, emphasizes:

“The COVID vaccines were developed swiftly, but they were not rushed—safety protocols were upheld throughout the process. Significant investments and over 20 years of mRNA technology research paved the way for what we have now.”

As Craig Spencer, MD MPH, a NYC emergency medicine doctor, highlighted in May:

“Let’s be clear: The rollout of COVID vaccines in the U.S. has significantly influenced the pandemic's trajectory. More than 153 million Americans have received at least one dose, and about 35% are fully vaccinated.”

Dr. Frieden also noted:

“With the emergence of new variants that are more contagious and potentially deadlier, being fully vaccinated is increasingly vital. Although most people who start the vaccination process receive both doses, 8% of those who have received the first dose have not yet gotten their second, according to CDC data.”

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Founding Dean of the Baylor College of Medicine, addresses vaccine hesitancy and explains that while the pandemic has fostered global collaboration for vaccine development, the groundwork has been laid for years.

He acknowledges the widespread myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine, particularly the notion that there wasn't enough time for thorough R&D. He aims to dispel these myths by stating that the vaccine didn't materialize out of thin air; it is the product of a decade-long R&D initiative, similar to other vaccines. “When people learn this, it tends to enhance their confidence,” he remarked in a February podcast.

In the same discussion, Dr. Hotez elaborates on the research that preceded the COVID vaccine's development, detailing his collaboration with a virology group focused on coronaviruses, which have a history of causing sudden epidemics and pandemics, such as SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012.

“About ten years ago, we partnered with a team at the New York Blood Center led by Shibo Jiang, MD, PhD, and Lanying Du, PhD, who had promising ideas for coronavirus vaccines. At that time, there was little interest in this area, so we adopted it, akin to our work on vaccines for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis.” — Peter Hotez, MD, PhD

Dr. Hotez's team collaborated with the Galveston National Laboratory and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, building on a decade of coronavirus research. This extensive groundwork allowed Operation Warp Speed to advance rapidly.

However, the Trump administration's management of this initiative had its challenges. Dr. Hotez pointed out a significant issue contributing to vaccine hesitancy: the lack of effective communication during Operation Warp Speed.

“One of the challenges is that Operation Warp Speed lacked a comprehensive communication strategy. It was primarily left to pharmaceutical executives, who often craft messages aimed at shareholders rather than the general public. Consequently, important details about the extensive 10-year R&D process were often overlooked.”

He expressed that better public awareness of this background could have increased acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Furthermore, the emergence of COVID variants adds to public confusion.

Dr. Hotez states, “The novel coronavirus is an RNA virus, and RNA viruses mutate.” He explains that the extensive global transmission has allowed variants with numerous mutations to arise.

Currently, several variants of SARS-CoV-2 exist, including alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. The CDC has identified the delta variant, initially discovered in India, as the dominant strain in the U.S., accounting for 51.7% of new infections. The rapid spread of these highly infectious variants is particularly evident in regions with low vaccination uptake.

This delta variant may lead to an increase in new cases in the U.S., especially as many prepare to return to in-person schooling and university life. Most of these new cases will likely occur among unvaccinated individuals, especially in the South, where vaccination rates remain low.

It's easy to fall into complacency and believe the crisis has passed. However, the reality is far from over. We won't return to normalcy until we achieve widespread global vaccination, let alone nationwide.

Remember, during the early days of the pandemic, there was a widespread call for a vaccine—people demanded it while sheltering at home. To dismiss the vaccine now by repeating unfounded speculation is irresponsible. We wanted the vaccine, and now that it is available, rejecting it means missing a critical opportunity for health—for ourselves and for others, particularly those with weakened immune systems or those at a higher risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19.

Dr. Ellen Foxman, MD, PhD, a pathologist at Yale Medicine, warns that we are now in a race between vaccines and variants. Until everyone is fully vaccinated, we remain vulnerable to more severe variants, widespread outbreaks, and the reintroduction of measures we thought were behind us, such as online learning, mask mandates, and public lockdowns. Achieving global vaccination is essential for returning to life as we once knew it. Please, do your part for the benefit of the entire world.