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Local children are getting the COVID–19 vaccine, and they want to talk about it

January 27, 2022   ·   0 Comments

The Times met with two local children who had recently received both does of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The pair, who publicly posted pictures of “the jab” through their mom’s social media accounts, wanted to share their experience and opinions with our readers. 

1. Name, age, hometown: Barrett Percy, age 14, Alliston

2. When did you get your first vaccine? Why? May 2021. I got the vaccine so that I could build up my immunity to COVID. I have family in the United States and I knew that eventually it would be easier to travel if I was vaccinated. I wanted to be a part of the solution to ending the pandemic. I wanted to protect myself and others around me.

3. How soon after it was approved for your age group? The vaccine was approved in Canada in December 2020 but my age group wasn’t approved until May 2021.

4. When did you get your second dose? I got my second dose at the end of June 2021.

5. How did people react to your vaccination status, and why did you make it public? I shared the news with my family and everyone was saying “Congratulations.” I wanted to share it publicly because I was proud of getting the vaccine and that I was making a difference in the world by getting it. I did some research to help me make my decision to get the vaccine. I knew that it would protect me and other vulnerable people around me.

6. Did you have any adverse reactions? With my first shot I had a sore arm. With my second shot I was a bit tired the next day and had a sore arm.

7. Will you get the booster? Yes, I will get a booster. I want it so that I can keep my immunity up going forward.

8. Did a lot of your friends get the vaccine too? What are they saying about it? Most of the people in my class at school got it, but some friends that don’t go to my school chose not to get it. Some of them think that there is COVID in it and you can get infected even more. They think that all it does is grow your white blood cells and increases the chance of getting COVID.

9. How does having the vaccine make you feel? The vaccine makes me feel a lot safer when I go outside and hang out with my friends and family.

10. What do you know about the vaccine and what do you want people your age to know? I know that the vaccine was researched and developed over a long period of time by scientists. There are lots of different versions of the vaccine, but only three main ones in Canada: Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca. The vaccine immunizes you against COVID–19. Some people can still get COVID but it decreases your symptoms and the possibility of needing care at a hospital. You can get them at a pharmacy or at a vaccine clinic. It is free to get the vaccine.

11. Anything else? I am currently waiting to get a booster shot but it hasn’t been released for my age group yet. My 6-month post shot was December 30, 2021. I hope that I can get it soon so I can be more protected from Omicron and other possible variants.

We thank these local children for sharing their experiences and opinions.

By Wendy Gabrek


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