The lines to get a COVID-19 vaccine may be getting a little longer Tuesday after President Joe Biden laid out groundwork for all teens to get a shot -- including 12-year-olds.
For 14-year-old Zack Gregson, playing baseball is important, and so is getting a COVID-19 shot.
“I think everyone should get vaccinated, need to be safe and finally get back to normal,” said Gregson.
And for Joe Donleavy, whose son plays on Gregson's team, it feels the same.
“I want him to get protected. I believe in the vaccines and I think it would be a good thing to get vaccinated. Would make me feel more comfortable with him playing sports and returning to school,” said Donleavy.
In a speech Tuesday, President Biden says he is focusing on getting younger people vaccinated. He says if the FDA approves Pfizer vaccines for children as early as next week, he will do his part.
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“I want American parents to know that if that announcement comes, we are ready to move immediately,” Biden said.
Immediately to make about 20,000 pharmacy sites across the country ready to vaccinate adolescents as soon as the FDA gives the OK.
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A move Stanford Health Doctor Yvonne Maldonado is in favor of.
“Having the vaccine for all age groups will be important for us to curb the spread of the pandemic,” she said.
The doctor is right now over seeing a Pfizer vaccine trial for children six months to 5 years old.
“It is harder to get teenagers in for their regular vaccinations. This is a busy time of their life. It is hard for them to think about long term impacts,” said Maldonado.
As far as she can see, the long term impacts of getting the shot are positive.
“For the 12-to 15-year-old children, the Pfizer vaccine has worked quite well demonstrating no cases of COVID in the vaccinated children and 10 cases in the placebo participants,” said Maldonado.
But for a mother, who asked to remain anonymous, she’s not quite sure about vaccinations for children.
“I personally feel there hasn’t been enough investigation and research into the long term effect of what it’s going to mean for our children,” she said.
