As of April 1, 2021, approximately 3,469,500 total child COVID-19 cases were reported, and children represented 13.4% of total cases. With a large number of States opening up, COVID-19 Vaccinations are becoming more prevalent in younger age groups. It was announced a few weeks ago that residents ages 16 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 Vaccination. Many thought it would take until May for it to reach our age group, but we are making progress quicker than we thought. There has been a lot of talk about the vaccine in our own community. Most teachers have already received their first dose, but it wasn’t as widely available for students. 

In a Pfizer document issued on April 9, 2021 it stated,“Pfizer on April 9 became the first vaccine maker to formally ask the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization that would allow its COVID-19 vaccine to be given to adolescents ages 12 and older.”

I had the opportunity to talk to many GCDS students who have been vaccinated about their experience, and why they chose to get it. Alex Pearl, Sam Weiner, and Georgia Mann gave almost identical responses.

Alex stated, “Getting my vaccine was only painful for a day after the 2nd one. Yeah it hurt, but it was so worth it.”

 They all made the conscious decision to get vaccinated not only for themselves but for others. Now that they are vaccinated, they have many more opportunities. Alex got to see her grandparents for the first time in a year and even stayed at their apartment. People who are vaccinated can now travel domestically and don’t have to worry about quarantining or getting sick.

“I’m graduating in May and being in quarantine during graduation was a big fear of mine, and getting the vaccine means you don’t have to quarantine if you’re a close contact”, stated Sam. 

“When I was standing in line, I kept thinking about how this was going to be in my kids’ and grandkids’ history books. It was a very strange feeling, knowing history is being made around you.”

As you read above, many students see the good in the vaccine, but what about the bad? Not everyone is on the same page and I also had the opportunity to speak with someone who is wary about the vaccine. Katarina Coppola is a Junior who took a different approach to the questions asked.

“So personally I don’t believe that taking the vaccine can be an overall good thing only because it’s fairly new and normally vaccines have about 4 years of research to back them up. I don’t know the long-term effects of taking the vaccine. Personally, I’m afraid of taking it, and I know for my parents I’m still young and healthy and I believe if I were to get Covid now my body is strong enough to fight it off versus a senior citizen. I think there is no need for me to take the vaccine right [now], and I know a lot of people are taking it but personally, I’d rather just wait and see the long term effects from it and get it when I’m older and when my health is no longer at its finest”.

Many, but not all people are comfortable with getting the vaccine, so what will happen in the future if it becomes mandatory? Around Early February, White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci told ProPublica that children as young as first graders might be able to get the vaccine by the time school is scheduled to start in the fall.

Many urge everyone to get it, if not for yourself, then for others. You may not be scared of the virus, but many others are, and everyone is needed in order to achieve the herd immunity we’ve been working towards. Once we’re all vaccinated, we can possibly begin to return to normalcy.