Syracuse, N. Y. (NCC News) — Nationwide distribution of the child-sized COVID-19 vaccination is well underway. Children between the ages of five and eleven were finally able to start receiving the vaccine last month. For 11-year-old Caspian Pierce, a sixth-grader at Edward Smith Pre-K-8 School in Syracuse before he got the vaccine, most of his life consisted of online playdates and video games.
“A lot of his social interactions have been online through zoom you know Minecraft, Roblox,” said Samantha Pierce, Caspian’s mother
Samantha Pierce has five children. Caspian is the youngest. Since he is eleven, he just missed the cutoff to get the regular-sized vaccine back in April. He was devastated and patiently waited for the CDC to approve a vaccine for children his age. Caspian just wanted to have a more normal childhood. When he found out he could finally get the vaccine he was thrilled.
“I was ecstatic because I was excited to get the vaccine because after that they told me I would be fully immune by Christmas day,” Caspian said. “It felt like it was going to be a Christmas present.”
Caspian has been given new hope to stop stressing about getting COVID-19. He can now think about things that a normal 11-year-old should, like what he wants to do over winter break with his friends now that they are all vaccinated.
The Syracuse City School District has begun holding vaccination clinics inside of schools to vaccinate all its students. The clinics are conveniently located around the city to ensure all children can have the opportunity to get the vaccine.
“I know a lot of other parents that have gotten theirs through the vaccine clinics and their pictures are all over social media of their kids going like YEAHHHH,” Pierce said.
There are also other ways to get the vaccine in the city. Many local pharmacies and pediatricians are offering appointments as well.
“We’re also encouraging parents to get vaccines from their pediatricians for the children because that’s usually that’s like literally the best place for kids to go,” said Dr. Maritza Alvarado, the Syracuse City School District Health Director.
Many families like the Pierce family rushed to get the vaccine, but there are also parents still on the fence. Pediatrician Dr. Renee Slade recommends that any parents who are still on the fence should talk to a doctor to learn more.
“Covid infection and getting complications from the actual infection, far, far, far outweighs the likelihood of having a complication from the vaccination,” Slade said.
Although many children have already gotten the vaccine in the last month, the district plans to continue social distancing for the foreseeable future. Caspian though no longer is subjected to the threat of being contact traced. Contact tracing has led to lots of school absences and forced classes to be switched online.
“She had two different times this year that she has had to quarantine for different close contacts and so, their school attendance is a big issue,” Slade said.
Now that the entire family is vaccinated, the Pierce family can now pivot their focus toward hanging out with their relatives during the holiday season rather than worrying about Caspian getting contact traced in class.
“Thanksgiving was a lot less stressful for me because he had already had his first shot,” Pierce said.
The COVID-19 vaccine is finally allowing Pierce to hang out with his friends in person rather than through a screen. He has enjoyed recent opportunities to hang out with his friends with no mask on and was able to eat dinner at a restaurant with his sister Jewel again.
The COVID-19 vaccine is giving a more normal life back to hundreds of young kids in Syracuse and they plan to continue to distribute the vaccine to allow all children to get vaccinated.
