SARS-COV-2, or COVID-19 as we now know it, was first officially reported in December 2019. It would soon go on to become humanity’s worst pandemic in in a century. The ensuing global health crisis resulted in over a million recorded deaths in just the United States of America. The pandemic would also trigger severe social and economic disruption, resulting in the largest global recession since the Great Depression.
Scientists, funded by the federal government, accelerated their ongoing research on protection against coronaviruses, as healthcare workers battled on the frontlines. After more than a year of severe disruptions and travel restrictions, there was finally a ray of hope. On December 12, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency-use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Two days later, the first COVID-19 vaccine (outside of a clinical trial) was administered to a nurse in New York City.
Celebrating the second anniversary of this first COVID-19 vaccination, APHA Press recently published Vaccinating America: The Inside Story Behind the Race to Save Lives and End a Pandemic, which puts a spotlight on the public servants and heroes behind the scenes who planned and executed this unprecedented program to combat COVID-19.
The book is co-authored by Michael R. Fraser, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, and Brent Ewig, MHS, Chief Policy & Government Relations Officer at the Association of Immunization Managers. Available print-on-demand in a softbound format.
Dr. Fraser discusses the vision behind the book. “Vaccinating America tells a story that very few pay attention to – how vaccines become vaccinations. It points out the heroic efforts of public health professionals and their partners in responding to the historic COVID-19 pandemic.” Ewig goes on to add, “The book highlights how governmental public health succeeded in getting out half a billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in one year. This effort saved over two million lives and more than $900 billion.”
However, the campaign faced numerous difficulties – fierce partisan divides, bureaucratic infighting, and overwhelming logistical challenges. “Through seemingly insurmountable obstacles, governmental public health agencies pushed forward against funding challenges, workforce shortages, politics and partisanship, mistrust and vaccine hesitancy, and succeeded in vaccinating over 80% of the US population,” notes Dr. Fraser.
Vaccinating America also does not hold back on pointing out those who hindered progress. Its rhetoric aligns with APHA’s mission to improve the health of the public and achieve equity in health status and vision to create the healthiest nation in one generation.
In this vein, Ewig also highlights the current relevance of the book for every American. “Especially at a time when trust in government is low, it is critical to raise where there is a success. More than anything, we want to give due credit to the public health heroes who have been working non-stop to make this happen. We believe the future of public health preparedness requires sharing this story and making the invisible visible.”
This publication aims to highlight lessons learned, inform future preparedness planning, and influence federal policy to improve the public’s health.
Purchase this book here: https://secure.apha.org/imis/ItemDetail?iProductCode=978-087553-3322&CATEGORY=BK
About APHA:
The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.
