The Food and Drug Administrations has publicly listed all the ingredients in the three COVID-19 vaccines. All listed ingredients can be found on FDA’s website.
According to PolitiFact, the FDA occasionally redacts information such as trade secrets in FDA-approved products. With ongoing conspiracy theories and the public’s reluctance to get vaccinated. This could have a positive effect on those who claim to need “more research.”
However, this could lead to more vaccinations and encourage booster shots for college students and Tallahassee residents.
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline in Tallahassee, but September marked the deadliest month at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, where a reported 82 people died of COVID-related illnesses. August previously held the record of 80 COVID-19 deaths.
At TMH 10 current patients listed as critically ill are all unvaccinated. According to Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker, more than 51 percent of residents in Leon County are fully vaccinated and over 58.2% of people are vaccinated with at least one dose as of Oct. 6. While those numbers may be good for the capital city, many still advise people to get fully vaccinated.
Brianna Cannan with the Leon County Health Department said, “I can understand why some people may be apprehensive to putting anything in their body in the height of a pandemic, but I also think the public release of the ingredients listed in the vaccine will ease people’s fear and also encourage booster shots for sure.”
As far as college life in Tallahassee, students were advised but not required to get vaccinated before returning for the fall semester. Tanya Tatum, director of Student Health Services for Florida A&M University, highly recommends students be fully vaccinated. “MRNA vaccines have a better record of providing protection against hospitalizations and death. At this rate, it’s best to be vaccinated to resume any possible normality in society,” Tanya said.
Although FAMU cannot share a definite record of how many students and faculty are fully vaccinated, Tatum suspects it is below 60%. What the university does know is the proof of students living on campus who had to provide full vaccination cards or proof of a negative COVID-19 test to move into a residence hall. A controlled study could also prove that all athletes and the majority of staff had to prove full vaccinations or frequent negative COVID-19 tests.
FAMU offers the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines at the 659 Ardelia Court site from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday to accommodate fans attending the 6 p.m. home game against South Carolina State University, and the COVID-19 testing site on Wahnish Way will operate normally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.