Six-year-old Alana suffered through COVID-19 along with her mother and two sisters this past August.
The summer before that, she lost her grandmother to the virus. But on Wednesday, she became one of the first few St. Louis kids to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Affinia Healthcare. When the nurse gave her the shot, she said she “didn’t even feel it.”
A room full of people, including Mayor Tishaura Jones, came to observe the first children to be vaccinated at Affinia and applauded as a nurse stuck a bandaid on Alana’s arm.
“If you can get your children the vaccines when they’re first born and throughout their life, I’m sure you can get them the vaccine for COVID to protect their life as well,” parent, Janice McRoberts said.
Alana’s mother, Janice McRoberts, said she was excited to get her child vaccinated when the Pfizer vaccine was CDC-approved for use in children ages 5 to 11 Oct. 29.
The child-sized dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine includes about 1/3 the active ingredient in the adult dose and is delivered through a smaller needle.
When her family had COVID, McRoberts said, it was stressful.
“It was a lot, trying to take care of everybody, and we didn’t want to go through that again…so we just want to make sure we’re following all the recommended CDC guidance and protocols for our safety and our community’s safety as well,” she said.
At a press conference outside of Affinia Healthcare, Mayor Jones said the city’s pediatric vaccine campaign is going to look “a little different” from previous attempts to get adults vaccinated.
“We want to meet people where they are,” she said. “We have to meet children in places where they feel comfortable, and federally qualified health centers like Affinia are trusted community partners.”
St. Louis area schools will also be holding vaccination clinics in the upcoming weeks. The first in the city will be this Saturday at Gateway Middle School, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will offer both children and adults vaccines. Over 9,000 additional SLPS students are now eligible to get the vaccine, Superintendent Kelvin Adams said last week.
The city’s vaccination program comes with an added incentive: $100 gift cards for each adult or family to complete a vaccination series.
“We are trying to get these gift cards out the door—the Board of Aldermen approved over a million dollars in gift cards for families that are eligible,” Jones said Wednesday. “So if you come here to Affinia to get vaccinated, you’re eligible to receive a gift card… and right before the holidays, I’m sure that money will come in handy.”
At Affinia, the response to the pediatric vaccination rollout has been “very positive,” according to Yvonne Buhlinger, Vice President of Development and Community Relations for Affinia.
The health center is offering daily walk-in vaccination hours Tuesday through Friday starting this week and offering the COVID-19 and flu vaccinations in conjunction with other services for patients who previously booked appointments.
“Those who are very interested in the vaccine are taking initiative, calling, making appointments, or just walking in,” Buhlinger said. “It’s very positive…from our patients and the community overall. We’re proud of that…I think that also says that people trust us, trust our staff, and know that we’re available and accessible in the community, where people live.”
As a parent, Janice McRoberts hopes other caregivers will do as she did and get their children vaccinated against COVID, just as they would against any other illness.
“If you can get your children the vaccines when they’re first born and throughout their life, I’m sure you can get them the vaccine for COVID to protect their life as well,” she said.
