Here’s what you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine. (WYDaily/ Courtesy of Unsplash) Coronavirus cases are rising throughout the country and while there are several vaccines on the horizon, many people are wondering when it will be available and just how soon life will return to normal. Both Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE as well as Moderna have applied for emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for their COVID-19 vaccines. Late Friday, the FDA granted authorization to Pfizer and German partner BioNtech. The COVID-19 vaccine is different from regular vaccines because it does not have the actual coronavirus. Instead, people will get proteins which act like the virus to prompt the body to create antibodies thanks to messenger RNA technology. Two doses of the same vaccine are required for immunity.