Pfizer Vaccine Approved for 12-15 Year Olds: What This Means and Why You Should Get It by Matan R.

Coronavirus struck the world hard last year. It felt like life as it had been just stopped. Schools were forced to begin online and the cases spiked. Luckily, many companies immediately started working on coronavirus vaccines. Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are the only companies with approved vaccines today. When the vaccines were first approved, only adults (people 16 years or older) could receive the vaccine.

On Thursday May 13th, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children 12 through 15 years old. This is great news, as it is a huge step in ending this horrible worldwide pandemic that has been haunting us since last March. It means that any child ages 12-15 can be protected from coronavirus, and it’s the next step towards getting back to normal. This is especially relevant to middle schoolers, as almost all of us are 12-15 years old.

I encourage all Julius West students to get the Covid Vaccine. You should get the vaccine because it protects you from Covid-19, and it is recommended by many licensed doctors and scientists. The vaccine is also perfectly safe, and I can assure you that it doesn’t hurt that much either, as I got the vaccine myself. Covid-19 has killed more than 3.4 million people, and it will continue to spread, so do your part to stop it and get the Covid-19 Vaccine.

There are a bunch of mass vaccination sites in Maryland you can visit to get the vaccine, including Six Flags, M&T Stadium, Montgomery College, and more. There are also pharmacies you can go to to get the vaccine. Have your parents click here to make an appointment to get the vaccine at a mass vaccination site.

It is impossible to know what next year will really look like because there are so many moving parts. However, if enough people get the vaccine, it could be far better than this year. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has already announced that next year there will be five full days of school a week, every week, in person, like a regular year (unless you choose the Virtual Academy option). It was also announced last week that there will still be a mask requirement, but some of the rules may be eased up. One example is that MCPS said that they may no longer require masks during certain outdoor activities. Another potential example is that they may be able to put more students in each classroom. Again, there is no way for anyone to know exactly what’ll happen next year, but please get a Covid vaccine as soon as possible, not just for you, but for everyone. It will make all of our lives so much better.

For a while, masks will still be required at public places, especially indoors, but the CDC said, “If you are fully vaccinated, you can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.“ What this means is that once it's been at least two weeks since you got your second Covid-19 shot, you can safely do things like see your friends inside, eat at a restaurant, shop, and so much more. Another perk is that you don’t need to quarantine even if you’re exposed to Covid-19. Remember, the Covid-19 vaccine is not 100% effective at protecting you from the disease, so you should still be careful and wear a mask when it’s required. However, once you get the vaccine, you’re far less likely to contract Covid-19, and if you do, it’ll be far less severe than someone without the vaccine.

Another cool bonus is that many restaurants have discounts if you show them your vaccine card. Krispy Kreme said if you show them your vaccine card, you get a free glazed doughnut every single day! Many other restaurants and shops also have promos, so that’s yet another great reason to get the Covid vaccine.

There are so many reasons why you should get the Covid Vaccine, the main one being that it not only keeps you safe, but the people around you too.