Mike DeWine, the Ohio Governor, says all Ohioans sixteen and up are able to be vaccinated starting on March 29th. There are students that are worried about the actual effects of the vaccine and if it will even work. 

“No, I will not get the shot. I don’t even like getting the flu shot,” Tori Collins, an 11 grader, states, “I don’t like needles, and the fact the vaccine hasn’t been out for long scares me. The flu shot took years to get right.” 

Teachers have already received their first and second rounds of vaccinations. General side effects are vomiting, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, body aches, and soreness in the injection spot. 

Mr. Sullivan, a history teacher, stated, “Luckily because I stayed well hydrated and took ibuprofen every 4 hours, I avoided any noticeable side effects. The worst thing I experienced was a little bit of soreness from where I got the shot.” He said he got his “vaccine from Kroger but at a vaccination center at Lakota West High School.”

Sixteen-year-olds and seventeen-year-olds can only get Pfizer vaccines. These mRNA vaccines teach your cells to make viral proteins using mRNA from the COVID-19 virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, “All COVID-19 vaccines were tested in clinical trials involving tens of thousands of people to make sure they meet safety standards and protect adults of different races, ethnicities, and ages, including adults over the age of 65.” Long-term effects, however, are still unknown.

For those planning to get the vaccine, scheduling an appointment can be done virtually at https://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov/. According to the Ohio Department of Health website, there are twenty-three vaccine administration locations, including Kroger Pharmacies, Butler County General Health District, and City of Middletown Health Department.