US Vaccine tests spark hope for return to school

A single parent fed up with the burdens of virtual learning sees the encouraging results of two experimental COVID-19 vaccines as an essential first step toward reopening American schools that have moved online.

Moderna Inc. said its coronavirus vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective, according to preliminary data from an ongoing study. A week ago, competitor Pfizer Inc. announced its own vaccine looked 90% effective — news that puts both companies on track to seek permission within weeks for emergency use in the U.S.

A vaccine can't come fast enough, as virus cases topped 11 million in the U.S. over the weekend — 1 million of them recorded in just the past week — and governors and mayors are ratcheting up restrictions ahead of Thanksgiving. The outbreak has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide, over 246,000 of them in the U.S.

Dorney Burgdorf is a single mother who moved from Ireland to the United States this summer with her daughter Kira Sweetman, 11, and her 7-year-old son Conor Sweetman.

"I think they like America, but it's just so limited what we can do sometimes," Burgdorf said. "I've had some of my clients tease me, you know, from Europe and say, are you sure you picked the right country?"

At first, the family pursued a 'hybrid' schooling option but in September their school district moved all students to a virtual format as an extra safety precaution.

"I'd say we probably did learn less this year because of coronavirus and like not being able to do all those things that we used to be able to do in school," said Kira Sweetman who just started middle school.

After months of canceled plans and staying inside their Arlington Virginia home, the family says the situation is hampering their ability to get involved in their new community.

"It doesn't feel the best because you don't get to meet very many people," Conor Sweetman said. "You don't get to make new friends, especially if you're new."

Burgdorf works as a full-time consultant, and besides her other duties as a parent she has taken on the role of assistant teacher. Some of her new daily tasks include trouble-shooting tablets and making sure her students complete and successfully submit their assignments.

"It's hard for the teachers. It's hard for the families... It's hard for the kids," Burgdorf said. "I do feel like as a single parent, you're expected to pick up too much of the slack. You know, it's just not really possible to do all the things that you're being asked to do."

Both of the experimental COVID-19 vaccines require two shots, given several weeks apart. U.S. officials said they hope to have about 20 million Moderna doses and another 20 million of the vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech to use in late December.

If the Food and Drug Administration allows emergency use of Moderna's or Pfizer's candidate, there will be limited, rationed supplies before the end of the year.

Exactly who is first in line has yet to be decided. But Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the hope is that enough doses are available by the end of January to vaccinate adults over 65, who are at the highest risk from the coronavirus, and health care workers. Fauci said it may take until spring or summer before anyone who is not high risk and wants a shot can get one.

Burgdorf is hoping students will have access to the vaccine before the end of the Spring 2021 semester.

"I think I could hold out for that, but otherwise, I am struggling to figure out how I'm going to make it work all year," Burgdorf said. "I mean, are they going to lose a full year of school this year? Are they going to get some limited time, you know, in person or is it always going to be an uncertainty? I think it would help me to know the timeline."

Despite the scientific predictions that the pandemic could enter its deadliest phase this winter, Burgdorf said some helping hands from her neighbors are helping her stay optimistic.

"America, in general, is great because it's you know, people are really resourceful," Burgdorf said. "So although I don't feel like I've gotten a ton of direct support from the school system, there's lots of other moms going through the same thing. So they create support groups for each other or they put resources out there."