Bea & Belle interview each other
about Bea's Covid-19 vaccine
The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is now approved by the CDC and available in a special dose for five to eleven year olds. Beatrice—almost eight and ready to be done with this pandemic already!—wanted to be among the first in line to get her shot. We agreed, for these reasons:
-Even though many kids don’t get severely ill with Covid-19, some do. In the United States, 8,300 kids have been hospitalized with Covid-19, and 791 kids have died.
-The Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine, which is the one available now, is given at only 1/3 of the dose given to older kids and adults. It is safe and was shown in clinical trials to be more than 90% effective at preventing Covid symptoms.
-The vaccine helps protect the whole community, not just your family, and can help prevent further mutations like the Delta variant. This all means we can get back to normal—whatever that is—sooner.
Bea talked about her vaccine in school, but we thought we’d interview each other about the process. Please feel free to share with friends and kids who might be worried—we had a really good experience!
Bea: This Sunday I had my first Covid shot. I know you got yours a few months ago. So tell me, were you nervous when you got your first Covid shot?
Belle: I got my first shot in March! I wasn’t nervous because I’ve had lots of shots, and those have all been fine. I was actually really excited because I had been waiting for a chance to have an appointment, and I knew that by getting my shot I’d protect myself and my family and other people in my community.
Bea: Where did you get your Covid shot? How did you set it up?
Belle: I went to a church health center in Raleigh that was also giving shots to people in the community, and people who work at NC State. A friend at work helped me get my appointment. But it’s easy to find a place to get a shot by going to vaccines.gov.
Bea: Were you worried it would make you sick?
Belle: Not really, or at least not as sick as I’d be if I got Covid! My arm was a little sore, and I felt a little tired. But I took a walk and I felt much better. Same thing for my second shot, and also my booster shot, which I got last week.
Bea: Now it’s time for you to ask me questions!
Belle: Okay, Bea! Where did you get your Covid vaccine?
Bea: I got it at Walgreens. I think you made the appointment?
Belle: Yes, that was me! I looked at the CVS website, and they didn’t have any nearby appointments, so then I looked at Walgreens, and they had one in Pittsboro. It was easy.
Bea: Did it cost money?
Belle: No! The Covid-19 vaccines are all free, and you don’t need insurance. You don’t even need the internet to sign up if you just go to a pharmacy and tell them you want to register—that’s what Mamie and Grampa did for their booster shots. Some schools are also having vaccine clinics. Were you nervous?
Bea: Sort of. I went into a little booth and I sat down in a chair. The pharmacist was nice and asked me if I had questions. I said no, pulled up my sleeve, and she gave me choices of band-aids. They had Frozen band-aids and things like that, so I chose the regular red one. I don’t like red but that’s better than character band-aids. She took the band-aid and put one side on my left arm, then took the shot and aimed it. My trick is to close my eyes. She went one, two, three and then she gave me the shot. It only hurt a little—less than a bee sting. But then it was okay.
Belle: Then we had to walk around the store for a little while, and we looked at the greeting cards and the candy. You thought it was ridiculous that they have Christmas candy on display already.
Bea: Seriously! I still have Halloween candy.
Belle: Did your arm hurt later?
Bea: My arm only got a little bit sore. No big deal.
Belle: Why are you glad you got the Covid vaccine?
Bea: It means I’m more protected now. I’m not fully protected, but I’m half-cinated. My friend Simon made that up.
Belle: What are you looking forward to once you’re fully vaccinated?
Bea: Sleepovers!!
How are you feeling about the Covid vaccine for kids? Kids, what are your wildest plans once you’re fully vaccinated?