Sylvester Brown, Jr. | The St. Louis American
(Published May 14, 2021)
For a 12-year-old, Milo Marston has some very grown-up thoughts about politics and the spread of the coronavirus in the United States:
“It was so ridiculous that he (President Trump) politicized the virus in the name of delusional, macho posturing.”
Milo had an equally layered answer when asked about grown-ups who refuse to wear masks to ward off infections or who won’t even consider being vaccinated:
“That all seems kinda stupid to me. It seemed to be just another outgrowth of the fake news and political stigma that’s been cropping up over the years.”
It’s obvious Milo, a 7th grader at Kairos Academies Charter School in the city, is the product of engaged liberal parenting. His father, Brian Marston, is the director of Web Technology at Washington University. His mother, Amanda Doyle, is the published author of several books. Their passions seem to have impacted Milo who remembers attending rallies and marches on climate change and Black Lives Matter as an infant. The boy’s thinking provides an interesting glimpse into a demographic that will soon be eligible for vaccinations to protect against COVID-19.
“I think it’s good. I mean the (school) year is almost over but maybe when we return, we’ll be less scared about spreading the virus, especially if you have high-risk people in your family.” - Gabrielle Henderson, age 13
This week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved expanded emergency use of the Pfizer shot that will be administered to children aged 12-15. The decision makes it the first-time coronavirus vaccines is authorized for younger teens and adolescents.
Since the announcement, many parents of young children have expressed opinions ranging from optimistic support to stubborn resistance. Some said vaccinating kids is a quick way to achieve “herd immunity” and get the country back to what many define as “normal.” Some feel the science doesn’t support the rushed effort to vaccinate children. Then there are those who wonder if vaccines will be as effective with children as scientist say they are with adults.
Adults have questions and opinions but what do kids in this new targeted age group think? Since they now qualify for vaccinations, isn’t it important to know?
Gabrielle Henderson, 13, a 7th grader at McKinley Classical Leadership Middle School said she’s well-informed ready to get her shot: “I think it’s good. I mean the (school) year is almost over but maybe when we return, we’ll be less scared about spreading the virus, especially if you have high-risk people in your family.”
Gabrielle said her parents, Raquita and Jerry Henderson, are avid news-watchers. Because of them, her teachers, and social media, Gabrielle said she’s stayed up to date throughout the pandemic’s deadly spread: “I also use Tiktok and people were talking about it all the time there,” Gabrielle said before describing COVID’s impact on her: “It wasn’t scary…just very weird. Everything went virtual. It was confusing at first but then I got the hang of it and I was fine.
“Part of me doesn’t really trust the vaccine. But, on the other hand, I can see how it can help, especially since the country is trying to get back to normal.”- Jayla Williams, age 16
Jayla Williams, 16, hasn’t been vaccinated even though she’s already eligible. Like some adults, the North Technical High School junior expressed skepticism: “Part of me doesn’t really trust the vaccine. But, on the other hand, I can see how it can help, especially since the country is trying to get back to normal.”
Jayla, who defines herself as an “introvert,” found that staying at home, quarantining from the virus suited her personality: “I didn’t miss in-person classes. I’m already anti-social, now I’m even more so. Quarantine was boring but it gave me time for a lot of self-reflection and discovering new things about myself and I have to say that was a good thing.”
Although Milo, Gabrielle and Jayla are all sharp, straight “A” students who plan to be vaccinated, their parents will be the ultimate deciders. Health care professionals, like Rachel Orscheln, Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician with Washington University and St. Louis Children’s Hospital are eager to address their concerns.
“In this pandemic, you will fall into one of three categories eventually: You have either already been vaccinated, you have COVID-19 or you’re going to get COVID-19,” Orscheln bluntly explained. “Achieving vaccine specific immunity is the only way we’re going to get through this. It’s the safest way to move forward in this pandemic.”
To have a large percentage of the population that’s unvaccinated, like children, Orscheln added, will likely fuel outbreaks. Mostly, it’s because children can spread the virus “to other vulnerable populations.”
Clinical trial data for young children, she said, looks promising:
“The studies are designed to look at rates of infection among those who were unvaccinated compared to those who were vaccinated. In the Pfizer trial, there were no cases of infections among the vaccinated and 18 in the unvaccinated group which led them to believe it’s 100 percent effective. That remains to be seen but I can tell you that with about 40 percent of adults (in the United States) who have received at least one dose we’re not seeing any new signals of concern.”
Orscheln said she’s already scheduled appointments for her two kids in the designated age group. Vaccinations, she said, are just another layer in getting kids back in school and getting America back to “normal.”
Gabrielle expressed similar sentiments: “We’ll probably still have to wear masks for a while but getting back to school is the main thing, being able to go more places without being worried all the time…that’s ‘normal’ to me.”
Milo’s definition was less specific: “Normal? Um, I’m not sure. People not dying or getting sick anymore is one thing.”
