On Monday, January 3rd, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster shot for 12- to 15-year-olds was approved by the FDA. Later, on Tuesday, January 4th, the CDC backed the FDA’s decision and updated its recommendations. The CDC now recommends that all 12- to 17-year-olds receive a booster shot as soon as possible. This affects all high school students because the more people that are able to get boosted against the Omicron variant, the fewer cases we have in the community. This is critical to lowering daily case numbers because, according to the CDC, getting a booster shot is proven to protect against the Omicron variant, which is responsible for the recent outbreak of cases.
Because the COVID-19 virus constantly changes, it is important that our government quickly adapts to eradicate high case numbers. The recent authorization of the third booster shot for 12- to 15-year-olds proves this. With increased cases of Omicron in our school and community, the goal is for students and citizens in the community to get vaccinated to help stop the spread of the virus and lower case numbers. With more people vaccinated, case numbers will lower. This impacts the school because case numbers will go down, which allows for a lower risk of virus transmission within the school. This in turn impacts the community because as the bodies of those who receive the vaccine and its booster shots gain immunity, the community can inch its way closer and closer to how it was pre-pandemic. Along with the vaccine authorization for 12- to 15-year-olds, the FDA also updated its authorization of the third booster shot for 16- to 17-year-olds to a recommendation. This is significant because it further proves how getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and getting booster shots for further immunity against variants, like Omicron, is recommended to lower case levels.
The authorization of the third booster shot for 12- to 15-year-olds sheds light on how critical it is for our government to act and adapt quickly to lower the number of cases. It also shows the benefits of getting vaccinated within the school and the community. Although some risks may be involved with expanding the eligibility of the third vaccine booster, don’t let that alter your decision to receive the vaccine. It is clear the benefits outweigh the possible risks. Take this as a sign to sign up to get vaccinated and help stop the spread of COVID-19 within the school and the community.
— Emma Javor
