In 2021, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary selected "vaccine" as its word of the year, highlighting the word's significance both as a medical term and as a cultural flashpoint. As the release of approved COVID-19 vaccines spurred hope for a return to pre-pandemic life or the "new normal," some people researched vaccines' development, funding, distribution and efficacy. Others focused on potential side effects. The existence of federal legislation governing compensation for certain vaccine injuries, however, went largely unnoticed.