In the middle of deep grief, there was good news: My older daughter, 14, was now eligible to get the COVID vaccine. Having given up the past year-plus of her life (no eighth grade graduation, no roller derby tournaments or even practices, canceled trips to DC and the beach, no middle school dances), she was eager to sign up and get her life back.

 

She shared her thoughts with us here:

Some people have asked me how I feel after receiving the COVID vaccine. The answer is simple: It feels like freedom. Of course once you get the vaccine, you aren’t automatically immune; it takes the body time to register the virus and mount a defense, and then you have to get a booster three weeks later (for Pfizer, which is the only one kids my age can get). I assume you already know how the vaccination process happens, so I’ll just give you a shortened version. Obviously everyone’s vaccination experience differs depending on countless factors, and I have yet to get my second shot considering it hasn’t even been approved for my age group for over three weeks, but my shot was easy and practically painless. I went into CVS during my scheduled appointment time, got my vaccine almost immediately, and waited the mandatory 15 minutes. I didn’t even feel the shot itself, but my arm hurt a little bit the day after. It’s definitely worth it, though! In my age group, the vaccine has been proven to be even more effective which makes me thrilled. I’m both terrified and exhilarated to re-enter the world post second dose, but one thing’s for sure: I will be free. 

 

If you’d like to learn more about how to get anyone over 12 in your family vaccinated, please comment below.