Students Take Vaccine Opportunities
(left to right) Isabella Sliter, Rhett Huie, Emilee Kelly photos by Leyla Dumke
After a year of enduring the COVID-19 pandemic, companies began rolling out vaccines to the public. Allowing older people and people with pre-existing health conditions access to them first, vaccines have now become available to citizens 16 and older. Taking up the opportunity, some SJHS students, including six Wind-Up staffers, received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Since many states––including Michigan––have expanded their eligibility to who can receive the vaccine (people 16+, grocery store workers, etc.), more younger people can be vaccinated. As of April 21, over 105,000 Michiganders in the 16-19 age bracket have received at least one dose of one of the three approved COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson (J&J). Along with 16+ now being able to be vaccinated, Pfizer announced their two-shot vaccine is 100% effective for children 12-15 according to CNBC.
With the 10-19-year-old age bracket currently experiencing the highest case rate, there is no better time than now to get teens vaccinated. According to michigan.gov, only 1,115 (15%) teenagers in the 16-19 age range have been vaccinated. While the number is low, vaccine distribution for the group just began. A number of SJHS students took the next step to ensure safety for themselves and the people around them by getting vaccinated. Isabella Sliter, 12, received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in February.
“I work at a restaurant and cupcake shop, so I figured it would be a good idea to get the vaccine since I’m at a greater risk of getting exposed to the virus,” Isabella said.
While the COVID-19 vaccine is a controversial topic because of how quickly it was developed, tested, and distributed in less than a year, Isabella is still confident in the science.
“I think if it really works then it would help decrease the number of people dying from COVID-19,” she said. “There’s a chance that this is a step closer in the right direction for everyone to feel ‘normal’ again. I say get it.”
In addition to Isabella, Emilee Kelly, 12, also received a COVID-19 vaccine. On March 26, Emilee got the J&J vaccination from the Berrien County Health Department (BCHD).
“I chose to get vaccinated because I feel like it is my responsibility as a community member to help in achieving herd immunity. Also, as someone who visits my elderly grandparents often, I feel more confident being around them without a mask,” Emilee said.
After receiving the vaccine, she suffered from a few side effects.
“I actually reacted pretty poorly. About six hours after getting my vaccine I got a high fever and had really bad chills,” Emilee explained. After 24 hours though, her side effects diminished.
Although roughly seven million Americans have received the J&J vaccine, distribution halted due to blood clotting concerns. According to NPR, women, 18-48 have reported cases of clotting from the vaccine.
Despite the risk, Emilee said, “I have no concerns about that happening. The likelihood of getting a blood clot is so slim that it doesn’t worry me.”
While she isn’t worried, she is still looking out for any clotting symptoms.
Rhett Huie, 12, is another student who received a vaccine, his being the Moderna vaccine on March 23. He got his vaccine for similar reasoning to the other two vaccine recipients.
“I received the vaccine in hopes that it was the first step back into normalcy,” he said.
After his vaccine was administered, Rhett experienced multiple side effects from the vaccination.
“[It] gave me a headache and made me a bit drowsy, but nothing unexpected,” he clarified. He also encourages others to get any vaccine they are able to.
“Every bit of help in reducing the spread takes us one step closer to living our lives again,” Rhett said.
If you’re still on the fence about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, reach out to people who’ve already gotten it. Learn about their experiences and ask questions. For help finding appointments, check the BCHD and Spectrum Health Lakeland’s website for openings.