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Norfolk — A Friday night for tweens and young teens before the pandemic used to mean sleepovers, sports and movies.
But when school let out at the end of this past week, it was a dash for some to get to the mall — not for a night of shopping and hanging by the food court. They were on their way to the federally run mass vaccination clinic, in the old Macy’s at Military Circle.
Some parents didn’t miss a beat in bringing them, thinking strategically about the upcoming Standards of Learning tests.
“I scooped up the kids and said, ‘Let’s go do it,’ but I really didn’t give them a choice. I just had them slip on shoes and stuff,” said Aileen Koke, a Norfolk resident who has two 13-year-olds, Matthew and Kristen, and a 12-year-old, Charity. “With SOLs next week, I didn’t want to wait and have them not feeling their best for it.”
The emergency use authorization that now allows Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to be administered in children ages 12 and up has expanded eligibility to about 420,000 more Virginians. For many of these young people, getting a jab in the arm might not be their idea of fun, but some say they believe it’s their best chance at returning to a pre-pandemic childhood.
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Matthew Koke, a student at Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, said he overcame a “deathly” fear of needles to get his vaccine Friday because he’s tired of only being with friends by playing Overwatch or Call of Duty on Xbox. He will start high school next year and is ready to get his social life back.
In the end, coming face-to-face with the needle wasn’t so bad.
“They were super gentle about it,” he said.
Devin Smigiel, 14, also showed up at the clinic Friday evening with her father, Tommy Smigiel. The Norfolk city councilman said he didn’t have to twist her arm — she asked about doing it.
“I really want to see my friends, and a lot of them already have it,” she said.
As Devin waited, she filled out a slip of paper explaining her reason for getting the shot. It would be posted on the wall in the observation area.
In hot pink marker, it read: “I want to see a Harry Styles concert.”
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Infectious disease experts say vaccinating young people will be an important step in reaching herd immunity.
Though the coronavirus has disproportionately impacted seniors, with the most hospitalizations and deaths occurring among the older population, children and teens also are susceptible to contracting the illness and spreading it.
Vaccinating older children also could reduce the potential for a rare but dangerous condition known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a life-threatening hyperinflammatory response linked to the coronavirus. It affects various parts of the body and may cause problems with a child’s heart and other vital organs. About 70 cases of MIS-C have been confirmed statewide.
Virginia allowed the use of Pfizer’s vaccine in children as young as 12 following an endorsement by U.S. health officials Wednesday. It has been used in all Virginians 16 and older since April. Pfizer’s vaccine is administered in two doses, spaced three weeks apart.
State public health officials say Moderna’s shot may be cleared for use in younger people in a few weeks.
The expansion of eligibility could have ripple effects for instilling more confidence in the vaccines. Dr. Danny Avula, the state’s vaccination coordinator, said some parents who were reluctant to get shots may have a change of heart if they see their kids going through with it.
“I do think that there are a large number of 12-and-ups who are going to make their own decisions,” he said on a call with reporters.
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Adolescents in Virginia will have several ways to access vaccines: pediatricians’ offices, state and federally-run mass vaccination centers and pharmacies, so long as they offer the Pfizer vaccine. Additionally, some school systems plan to hold vaccination events before summer break.
Ultimately, anyone under 18 will need parental consent to get a shot. Most vaccination centers will require adults to accompany minors, though parents won’t have to be present for school-based clinics.
Sisters Somtochukwu and Buka Okobi, 14 and 13, arrived together Friday to get vaccinated. Both said the challenges of virtual schooling and playing team sports with masks was enough to persuade them. They hope friends who are on the fence about it will be encouraged by their example.
Their dad, Chukwulozia Okobi, said he wishes getting vaccinated wasn’t such a divisive issue.
“Looking at the number of people dying from this, I think it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “We do it for others. And for those we’ve lost, we do it in their memory.”
Where to go
The following vaccination clinics in Hampton Roads are offering walk-in appointments for children ages 12 and older:
Norfolk – Military Circle
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Portsmouth – Sportsplex
Suffolk – Hilton Garden Inn
Virginia Beach –Virginia Beach Convention Center
Newport News – 13771 Warwick Blvd. in the former Sherwood Shopping Center
Hampton – Hampton Coliseum
The vaccinate.virginia.gov links to the CDC’s VaccineFinder website, which has a searchable map-based tool to locate vaccination appointments. For phone assistance, call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA.
Elisha Sauers, 757-839-4754, elisha.sauers@pilotonline.com