‘I feel a sense of comfort.’ Why Central High students decided to get COVID vaccine
The vaccination motivation for Central High School junior Morgan Ficklin is twofold:
Decrease the risk of coronavirus infection in her family, which had a relative die from COVID-19, and increase her safety while traveling to sporting events as an athlete playing for the school’s volleyball, basketball and track teams.
Morgan didn’t hesitate to be among the scores of Central students who registered to receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Thursday in the school’s expansion facility, even though she heard some friends say they’re scared of the shot or possible side effects.
“All the people that I’ve been around who’ve had the vaccine haven’t had any negative impact,” Morgan, 17, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “… It keeps the students, as well as the teachers, safe because anybody in the school could have underlying diseases, and us getting vaccinated keeps them safe.”
On May 10, the Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer vaccine to children as young as 12.
Out of Central’s approximately 1,300 students, 92 registered for the clinic, and 72 kept their commitment to get their first dose, principal Tommy Vickers told the L-E in a text message.
“I still think it’s a good number,” he said, “Since I have so many virtual students, cases are way down and some may have gotten vaccinated since this was offered. I greatly appreciate the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama National Guard for their support on such short notice.”
‘They set an example’
Vickers is a brigadier general in the Guard, serving as deputy commander of the 167th Theater Support Command in Montgomery. The Guard helped the ADPH conduct the clinic Thursday at Central. They will return to administer the second dose in June.
Central High is the first school in the health department’s 11-county East Central Alabama District to host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic, ADPH assistant director administrator Tim Hatch told the L-E.
“They set the example,” he said. “… It’s a convenience factor. It’s also showing leadership, not only the school but the district.”
Phenix City Schools gave employees the chance to get vaccinated at a local doctor’s office in February and March. Superintendent Randy Wilkes estimated about half of them took advantage of it or have been inoculated on their own. Now, with students being added to the school’s immunity level, he is pleased with the response.
“We’re thinking about the safety and well-being of our students,” he told the L-E.
Wilkes notified parents about the clinic in a May 10 letter. They had two days to register their child so ADPH had enough time to prepare.
“It’s great to see students, especially high school students, becoming more aware of what’s going on,” Hatch said. “Whether mom and dad are telling them, ‘You’re going to get it,’ or some students go, ‘I want to get this.’ Whether it’s for general protection or athletics-based, whatever it is, they’re making their decisions, and we’re very happy about that.”
‘It didn’t hurt’
Central junior Katie Suchman, 16, is grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s a lot easier to have it at the school because we don’t have to go out of our way to go find a place to get the vaccine,” she said. “It’s very, like, thoughtful of the school to be planning this ahead and doing this for the students.”
Katie was attending classes on campus anyway, but getting the vaccine makes her feel safer.
“I like attending school in person so I can see my friends,” she said, “and this opens that up and lets me do that.”
Being vaccinated also gives her confidence to be in crowds beyond school.
“It opens up a whole new world because you’re actually able to go out and do things again,” she said.
After their shots, Katie and Morgan said they have no regrets about getting the vaccine.
“It went well, and it didn’t hurt,” Katie said. “It was much better than I thought it was going to be. She told me to relax, so I tried my best.”
Morgan said, “It went really well. I didn’t feel the needle at all. I was nervous at all. I felt really good about it, and now I feel a sense of comfort.”
