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'It didn't hurt at all': Kids tell us how they feel after getting COVID vaccine
Now, it's the kids' turn. At UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, 12-year-old Adelina got her first COVID-19 vaccination Friday. She admitted she doesn't like getting shots. "It was scary but it was quick after it was done," she said.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Now, it's the kids' turn. At UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, 12-year-old Adelina got her first COVID-19 vaccination Friday. She admitted she doesn't like getting shots.
"It was scary, but it was quick after it was done," she said. But she says she knew why she had to do it.
" To keep people safe. And me."
Her mother said she had no second thoughts about getting her daughter immunized, especially since the family plans on traveling this summer.
"I'm pretty much down with science and what the scientists say. I want my daughter to have a safety net," said Nanci Pecker.
The mass campaign to vaccinate children between the ages of 12 and 15 years old has begun after the federal government gave its approval for the Pfizer vaccine.
Those 16 years and older have been eligible since last month.
UCSF Benioff says the slots for the younger children have been filling up.
"It's really, really important that every single 12,13, 14, and 15 years old get vaccinated. We are one of the few countries in the world where this is possible," says UCSF Benioff pediatrician Dr.Stefan Friedrichsdorf.
Doctors say fear of needles is one of the reasons children don't get vaccinated. They say parents can numb a child's arm with an over-the-counter cream about 30 minutes before the shot. And they say distractions, such as looking at a phone during the injection also helps.
Young people will also need to come back for a second dose.
"You really want to make sure you do everything possible to decrease pain and anxiety caused by the needle and that they do come back," says Dr. Friedrichsdorf.
A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 25% of parents say they will not allow their child to get vaccinated.
Records show children with COVID-19 are far less likely than adults to be hospitalized or die. But they can spread the coronavirus.
We asked one 12-year-old what he plans to tell his friends about getting vaccinated.
"It didn't hurt at all," he said.