Mayo Clinic Q&A: A race between vaccines, the virus and variants

COVID-19 vaccine eligibility is increasing across the U.S., as many states lower age requirements for those who can be vaccinated for COVID-19. By the end of March, the U.S. will have received 240 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and 173 million doses of those will have been distributed, according to Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "Our way out of this (COVID-19 pandemic) is getting a vaccine," says Dr. Poland. "But when there's misinformation and disinformation circulating about the vaccines, it scares people." Dr. Poland emphasizes the importance of relying on credible, reliable medical resources for accurate information. He also has a message for young people, who think they are too healthy to get sick with COVID-19 and that they don't need a vaccine. "Even if you don't get seriously ill, that doesn't mean you won't have long-term complications," says Dr. Poland. "It also doesn't mean that you couldn't spread it to a member of your family or somebody else." (Published 03/31/2021)