#ThisIsOurShot to end the pandemic

<p>"Vaccines have been around as early as 1776 when Edward Jenner first pioneered the smallpox vaccine and Louis Pasteur produced a rabies vaccine. As a microbiologist’s child, I grew up hearing these stories from my father and thinking of these men as heroes. Vaccines have been proven so effective and safe that we are guilty of taking them for granted. There may have been a few mishaps, but given current standards for testing efficacy and safety, there is very little to worry about.</p> <p>In 1980, the World Health Organization declared that smallpox was eradicated from the face of the earth, and there was no need for further vaccination. I, for one, cannot wait to hear the same about COVID-19."</p> <p><a href="https://health.usnews.com/doctors/anupama-verma-123970" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anupama Verma</a> is a nephrologist and can be reached on Twitter <a href= "https://twitter.com/anuvmd?lang=en" target="_blank" rel= "noopener noreferrer">@anuvmd</a>.</p> <p>She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "<a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/thisisourshot-to-end-the-pandemic.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">#ThisIsOurShot to end the pandemic</a>." (<a href= "https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/thisisourshot-to-end-the-pandemic.html">https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/01/thisisourshot-to-end-the-pandemic.html</a>)</p>