By Nick Zelaya Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) – Last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved Covid-19 vaccines for kids between the ages of 5 to 11 for the first time since the vaccines were given out to the public. Parents are wasting no time getting their children the shot as appointments across pharmacies have been filling out quickly. Manlius Pebble Hill School, a private Pre-K to 12th grade in Syracuse, has students in the 5-11 age range, and the news of the vaccine eligibility is a positive for parents and their kids.
“I think it will reduce stress for parents of this age group,” Christine Civello said, the nurse at MPS. “A good portion of our parents have been waiting for this. They are very excited. Their kids are excited.”
One of those parents who is excited is Shelley Crawford, who has a middle school son in the Syracuse area. She named several things that Covid has made difficult for her child’s school experience, but what’s most unfair for Crawford is that it took so long for young kids to get the shot and protect their own health.
“It wasn’t right for only the teachers to be vaccinated and not have the students vaccinated, because everyone’s health is a concern,” she said.
According to the White House, nearly one million kids between 5 and 11 have received at least their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine, with 700,000 appointments scheduled at pharmacies in the coming weeks across the nation. The demand has been high for kids getting their Covid-19 shot, and it’s now available to about 28 million children across the US. Plus with the holiday season coming and more family gatherings for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas, the vaccine is crucial for everyone regardless of age.
“They [students] have grandparents and relatives and neighbors and people they interact with that are at risk, and if they get Covid, they’re going to get severe Covid,” Civello said. “Because all of those big travel holidays are coming. We even have families travelling for Veteran’s Day so the sooner the better, even one dose is a start.”
If a family member is interested in getting the Covid-19 vaccine, there are openings at most local pharmacies to sign up.
(Anchor)
KIDS AS YOUNG AS FIVE ARE NOW ABLE TO RECEIVE THE PFIZER VACCINE ACROSS THE COUNTRY… N-C-C NEWS REPORTER NICK ZELAYA SCOPES HOW CENTRAL NEW YORK IS REACTING TO THE NEWS…
(Track 1)
(CG: xxx )
LAST WEEK THE FDA APPROVED COVID-19 VACCINES FOR KIDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 TO 11… AND PARENTS ARE WASTING NO TIME TO GET THEIR CHILDREN THE SHOT AS APPOINTMENTS ACROSS PHARMACIES ARE FILLING UP QUICKLY… MANLIUS PEBBLE HILL SCHOOL HAS STUDENTS IN THE 5-11 AGE RANGE AND NURSE CHRISTINE CIVELLO SAYS THIS IS A POSITIVE FOR PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS…
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(CG: xxx)
[TAKE SOT
NAME:Christine Civello
ITEM TIME:0’08”]
(“I think it will reduce stress for parents of this age group. A good portion of our parents have been waiting for this they are very excited. Their kids are excited.”)
(Track 2)
ONE OF THOSE PARENTS IS SHELLEY CRAWFORD WHO HAS A MIDDLE SCHOOL SON IN THE SYRACUSE AREA… SHE FOUND IT UNFAIR THAT IT TOOK SO LONG FOR YOUNG KIDS TO GET THE SHOT AND PROTECT THEIR OWN HEALTH…
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(CG: xxx )
[TAKE SOT
NAME:Shelley Crawford
DURATION:0’10”]
(“It wasn’t right for only the teachers to be vaccinated and not have the students vaccinated because everyone’s health is a concern.”)
(Track 3)
AS OF TODAY, CLOSE TO ONE MILLION KIDS BETWEEN 5 AND 11 HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST THEIR FIRST SHOT OF THE PFIZER VACCINE… THE DEMAND HAS BEEN HIGH AND THE SHOT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO ABOUT 28 MILLION CHILDREN ACROSS THE NATION… AND WITH THE HOLIDAY SEASON COMING AND MORE FAMILY GATHERINGS… THE COVID SHOT IS CRUCIAL FOR EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF AGE…
{***SOT FULL***}
(CG: xxx )
[TAKE SOT
NAME:Christine Civello
DURATION:0’19”]
(“And they have grandparents and relatives and neighbors and people they interact with that are at risk if they get covid, they’re going to get severe covid… because all of those big travel holidays are comin. We even have families travelling for Veteran’s Day so te sooner the better, even one dose is a start.”)
(Track 4)
SCHOOLS ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK ARE ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATED SO THAT THEY CAN SPEND LESS TIME IN ROOMS LIKE THIS… AND MORE TIME IN SPACES LIKE THIS WITH FRIENDS AND WEARING NO MASKS… REPORTING IN SYRACUSE, NY… NICK ZELAYA… N-C-C NEWS…
