Almost a year after nine-year-old Henry's parents became eligible, he is now lining up for a COVID-19 vaccine.
"I'll be safe and be able to play and have fun around the world, and do my normal things and not have to sit around in my house and wear a mask all the time,” said Henry Pramik-Holdaway, fourth-grader at Torrey Pines Elementary.
For his parents, the vaccine means feeling less anxious about what a severe case of COVID-19 could have meant.
“My son has a little bit of respiratory issues and I was always nervous for him so I'm glad we can protect him now,” said Danica Pramik-Holdaway.
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Both Henry and his seven-year-old sister received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at an event held by their elementary school.
“My husband and I have been vaccinated for a long time and it's just kind of nice to have them join the party so we can have more fun without worrying about them touching it,” said Pramik-Holdaway.
Along with them, 118 other kids were also vaccinated.
“I am actually kind of excited about getting the COVID shot,” said Vladimir O’callaghan, fourth-grader at Torrey Pines Elementary.
“I’m excited but also a little nervous at the thought of the needle,” said Swika Sampat, fifth-grader at Torrey Pines Elementary.
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The event was put on by Champions for Health, San Diego County’s medical society.
“I want everyone to be protected and I really want this pandemic to end,” said Tania Rivera, MD. “I think it's been really hard on schools, kids, families in general.”
The low-dose version of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 years of age was approved on Tuesday. Some individual providers in San Diego began offering the vaccine to kids as early as Wednesday, but public events like this one are just starting to ramp up.
“I'm so happy and excited,” said Rivera. “I feel like if everyone gets vaccinated then my kids and the teachers at this school and the families are going to be protected.”
A long-awaited moment in our country's draining fight against the coronavirus.
