Features

Ellaheh Gohari| Features Editor pl236951@ahschool.com In response to the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic, scientists across the globe began developing a vaccine. Two teams emerged victorious, and P zer and Moderna vaccines began distributing across America late last year, with other vaccines waiting to be approved. However, the speedy development of these vaccines, coupled with pre-existing conspiracy theories about vaccination, caused many people to distrust them. According to the L.A. Times, one in ve frontline workers in a local hospital refused the vaccine, a skepticism that holds true in hospitals across the country. With the healthcare workers themselves wary about the COVID-19 vaccine, it is no wonder that conspiracy theories run rampant on social media, spreading misinformation and lies that have sparked distrust in the healthcare system. Here are three common myths about vaccination that you may see on the internet and the proof to debunk them.

Myth #1

Because the vaccine was created so quickly, it doesn’t work

While the coronavirus vaccine was developed in less than a year, that does not mean it is less e ective. “ e speed was related completely to the breathtaking scienti c advances that [have] been made over the last 10 or more years, where you can get the genetic sequence of the virus, then take that sequence and insert the appropriate gene into these very new and unbelievably e cient vaccine platforms,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor for the Biden administration, said in a video. Already having experience with coronaviruses in the past, scientists were able to take that knowledge and use it to develop a vaccine that was e ective against the speci c COVID-19 strain. Before a vaccine is allowed to circulate, it must complete vaccine trials, which is exactly what occurred. A er the vaccines were shown to be helpful in trials, it was allowed to be distributed. us, speed does not play a role in the vaccine’s e ectiveness, since it passed the necessary trials regardless of how fast it was developed.

Myth #2

The vaccine has severe side effects that outweigh the benefits

Vaccines, as with any medical operation, have the potential to trigger serious side e ects or even death. However, as of January, there are no reported deaths directly related to COVID-19 vaccination. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the most common side e ects are slight pain or swelling on the vaccinated arm, as well as headache and tiredness. These mild side e ects most o en occur a er the second dose and dissipate within a few days. The CDC also reported that less than 1% of the thus far 4 million people who received Moderna’s vaccine developed any adverse, or severe, side e ects, with those who did already having a history of anaphylaxis. Because none of the vaccines approved in the USA contain a live virus, it is impossible to develop COVID-19 from the vaccine. Since an adverse reaction is rare and nobody has died from the vaccine, the risks are minimal.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI The hospital’s vaccination site is held in an outdoor tent. A er prioritizing their frontline worker employees, the hospital is now vaccinating people over 65 who have more than two comorbidities, such as diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, obesity or kidney disease.

(Photo/Shirin Shafazand)

Myth #3

Since everyone else is getting the vaccine, I don’t have to

In order to stop the spread of coronavirus once and for all, herd immunity is required. Herd immunity is when enough people in a population are vaccinated that it does not spread from person to person anymore since there is no viable host. According to the CDC, 70% of the U.S. population, or more than 200 million people, must get the vaccine to achieve herd immunity. At present time, there have not been any trials done for minors, so scientists do not know how our immune systems will react to the vaccine. However, trials are starting for minors ages 12-18, meaning that soon we will likely have the answer. If we want to leave COVID-19 for the history books, everyone who can get vaccinated should. Features 11

When they were us: Dr. Jonathan Pedrone

Nithisha Makesh | Sta Writer pl246981@ahschool.com really excel at anything. Academically, I didn’t really get serious until I went to college, and there I really put forth e ort

AP American Government teacher and did fairly well,” he said. Dr. Jonathan Pedrone grew Although Dr. Pedrone claims he wasn’t up in rural Chambersburg, serious about school until college, history Pennsylvania Since it was a small town, was always his best subject. In college, he grew up with the same people from he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in his kindergarten class. A er his family Biblical Studies at Trinity International made the move to Florida when he was University and later went to Liberty a junior in high school, he graduated Theological Seminary to gain a Master’s from Dade Christian High School. Degree in Arts in Religion and Divinity. During high school, Dr. Pedrone “My greatest motivators are probably participated in numerous extracurricular my parents. They have always encouraged activities, such as soccer, tennis and drama club. “I really loved playing tennis because of the individual aspect of the game. All the pressure was on me,” he said. Since he felt me and challenged me to be the best I can be. Even as an adult, I still work hard to make them proud, and their support has really made a huge di erence in my life,” he said. A er college, he worked at a church as a Youth Pastor for around 10 years “I remember coming to campus and being impressed by the campus Dr. Jonathan Pedrone comfortable in while also teaching courses front of crowds, Dr. Pedrone also joined on the side. While he had aspirations to the drama club, where he performed in work in a church, he also had an interest in several productions. He claims teaching education. In 2009, he went into teaching gives him the same excitement he felt when full time and attended graduate school to performing because he is in front of a crowd. earn a Doctorate Degree in Education at While competing against Heritage’s Liberty University. soccer team in high school, the campus Today he works as an adjunct professor, impressed him. teaching Humanities and Religion at

“I remember coming to campus and Davis College, Broward College and Palm being impressed. The eld (at that time it Beach Atlantic University. He continues was grass), and it was much nicer than our to participate in sports like he used to in home eld. So Heritage was always a school high school by running the A1A Halfthat I was aware of and always thought highly Marathon annually with his wife. This of. I applied to Heritage in 2012,” he said. February will be his ninth half-marathon. “I was a very average student, and I didn’t

GOING FOR GRAD: A er graduating from Dade Christian School, Dr. Pedrone aimed to work at a church, but he also realized he wanted to teach, which was why he attended graduate school.

(Photo submitted/Dr. Jonathan Pedrone)

Everyone Has a Story: Allan Zhang

SMILES AND SHIELDS: Junior Allan Zhang pairs his disposable mask with a face shield in the pavilion behind the 4500 building. He describes himself as outgoing and recently tried to change his mentality on work.

(Photo/Bella Ramirez)

Bella Ramirez | Editor-in-Chief pl237961@ahschool.com

For this issue’s EHAS, I decided to randomly select a student in person. One click on the random number generator and “2” became the magic number. So, I walked to the second table under the second pavilion by the tennis courts and asked junior Allan Zhang if he would be comfortable with an interview for The Patriot Post. Zhang made room at his lunch table so I’d have a place to sit for the interview and laughed about how he felt he was recognizable to the student body since he was the only student on campus who wears a face shield.

Besides standing out in fashion this year, Zhang found himself shi ing his perspective on responsibility a er dealing with a di cult course load.

“AP Physics, holy cow, I can’t describe how hard it was for me,” Zhang said. “But then, as I kept pushing on the way, it suddenly clicked in my mind. Now, I’m on the way to improving.”

University of Colorado Boulder found “When I was younger, I used to take that the transition to online or concurrent things apart all the time and gure learning signi cantly decreased student out how they worked,” Zhang said. motivation to work in college. As a pre- As a music scholarship student, Zhang college school, Heritage students like hasn’t had room in his schedule to complete Zhang were not immune to the drop the pre-engineering track. This is actually in motivation. his rst year taking an engineering course.

“I found out that my lack of willingness, “I just wish it wasn’t during COVID,” my ineptitude of doing things, has caused Zhang said. “I would’ve gotten more handsme a lot of stress lately,” Zhang said. on experience--the real experience.”

To combat his shrinking motivation, Although Zhang is disappointed with he reminds himself of the bene ts of the diminished energy in his band class completing work and tries to use those from concurrent learning and the minimal to compare their importance against hands-on projects in engineering this year, distractions. Regarding his views on he remains optimistic for the future. moving ghting against fatigue, Zhang “I really hope I get to see things go back SEMI TRANSPARENT admits he didn’t always share his current perspective on life. to normal in my senior year,” Zhang said. ORGANIC SHAPE/ “If I did, I never realized it until now,” he said. OTHER PHOTO IF Besides academics, Zhang nds himself in the band room playing saxophone as THERE IS ONEa music scholarship student. He hopes to pursue engineering in the future and possibly minor in music.