COVID-19 ephemera collection
Collection
Identifier: MSS 452
Scope and Contents
This small collection contains stickers and pins that individuals received with their COVID-19 vaccinations. Most pieces of ephemera are accompanied by short notes indicating who received the vaccine, as well as where and when the vaccine was administered.
Dates
- 2020-2021
Conditions Governing Access
Select items in this collection are temporarily unavailable for research due to exhibition as part of the Postmortem project.
Biographical / Historical
COVID-19 emerged in early December 2019 as cases of "unusual pneumonia" in Wuhan, China. The virus spread and by the end of December the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a public health alert. On January 30, 2020, WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and on February 11, 2020, WHO officially named it Corona virus Disease 2019, or COVID-19. The United States declared a National Emergency on March 13, 2020. Philadelphia-area schools closed on March 13, and on March 16 Philadelphia announced a 2-week closure of all non-essential businesses. Philadelphia’s Stay At Home Order was issued on March 22. By March 26, the United States had the highest number of confirmed cases in the world, with New York City as the epicenter.
Chinese scientists shared the genetic sequence of the "novel coronavirus" in January 2020 and scientists around the globe soon began working on a vaccine. By December both the Pfizer-BioNTech, and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and initial doses were administered to healthcare workers and at-risk individuals.
Since 2021 the FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (now Comirnaty) to prevent COVID-19 in people aged 12 and older, and the Moderna vaccine (now Spikevax) to prevent it in people aged 18 and older. Both vaccines are authorized for children aged 6 months and up. The FDA has also authorized the Novavax adjuvanted vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in people aged 12 and older. Since December 2020, when the first vaccines were administered, millions of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
WHO declared an end to the Public Health Emergency of International Concern for COVID-19 on May 5, 2023. WHO acknowledges that new variants may still pose a threat, but that the vaccine and boosters have reduced the death rate and the spread of COVID-19, allowing countries to return to normal. There are people who continue to wear masks in public to protect themselves against COVID-19 and for whom life has not returned to normal.
Chinese scientists shared the genetic sequence of the "novel coronavirus" in January 2020 and scientists around the globe soon began working on a vaccine. By December both the Pfizer-BioNTech, and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and initial doses were administered to healthcare workers and at-risk individuals.
Since 2021 the FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (now Comirnaty) to prevent COVID-19 in people aged 12 and older, and the Moderna vaccine (now Spikevax) to prevent it in people aged 18 and older. Both vaccines are authorized for children aged 6 months and up. The FDA has also authorized the Novavax adjuvanted vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in people aged 12 and older. Since December 2020, when the first vaccines were administered, millions of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
WHO declared an end to the Public Health Emergency of International Concern for COVID-19 on May 5, 2023. WHO acknowledges that new variants may still pose a threat, but that the vaccine and boosters have reduced the death rate and the spread of COVID-19, allowing countries to return to normal. There are people who continue to wear masks in public to protect themselves against COVID-19 and for whom life has not returned to normal.
Extent
0.02 Linear feet (1 folder, Small Collections)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Community members sent these materials to Mutter Museum curator Anna Dhody during the COVID-19 pandemic to preserve the memory of the pandemic and the emergence of the vaccine.
Bibliography
Dei-Tumi, S. (2020a). Covid-19 pandemic response efforts: Pivotal dates and resources (1/2). https://sway.cloud.microsoft/0MukrUgYXaMbqDL3
Dei-Tumi, S. (2020b). Covid-19 pandemic response efforts: Pivotal dates and resources (2/2). https://sway.cloud.microsoft/lBKmICEndG2YUE3w?ref=Link
Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Authorizations of Emergency Use of Two Biological Products During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Availability. Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/19/2021-01022/authorizations-of-emergency-use-of-two-biological-products-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-availability
Heyward, G., & Silver, M. (2023, May 5). Who ends global health emergency declaration for covid-19. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/05/05/1174269442/who-ends-global-health-emergency-declaration-for-covid-19
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (n.d.). History of covid-19: Outbreaks and vaccine timeline. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/history-disease-outbreaks-vaccine-timeline/covid-19
Rogers, K. (2024, March 20). Covid-19 vaccine. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/COVID-19-vaccine
Dei-Tumi, S. (2020b). Covid-19 pandemic response efforts: Pivotal dates and resources (2/2). https://sway.cloud.microsoft/lBKmICEndG2YUE3w?ref=Link
Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Authorizations of Emergency Use of Two Biological Products During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Availability. Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/19/2021-01022/authorizations-of-emergency-use-of-two-biological-products-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-availability
Heyward, G., & Silver, M. (2023, May 5). Who ends global health emergency declaration for covid-19. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/05/05/1174269442/who-ends-global-health-emergency-declaration-for-covid-19
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (n.d.). History of covid-19: Outbreaks and vaccine timeline. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/history-disease-outbreaks-vaccine-timeline/covid-19
Rogers, K. (2024, March 20). Covid-19 vaccine. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/COVID-19-vaccine
- Title
- COVID-19 ephemera collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Rayna Andrews
- Date
- 2024 March 27
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Repository
Contact:
19 S. 22nd Street
Philadelphia PA 19103 United States
215-399-2001
library@collegeofphysicians.org
19 S. 22nd Street
Philadelphia PA 19103 United States
215-399-2001
library@collegeofphysicians.org
