Anyone 12 and older eligible for COVID-19 vaccine in Indiana
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Some of the first Hoosiers ages 12-15 got vaccinated Thursday when the state opened up eligibility to the youths.
Eli Adams got his first and two Pfizer shots. “Feels good to be partially vaccinated now; feels like relieving, so that’s good,” the 15-year-old said. “I can, like, start going out and doing more stuff and feel, like, safer about it.”
His mother, Lacey Adams, jumped at the chance to get her son the jab. “I’m so excited that he can finally get the shot today. We have a 16-year old, and he’s scheduled to get his second one tomorrow. So, as soon as they opened it up for 15-year-olds, we got him on and I’m so excited! One step closer back to normal life.”
She added, “I just feel it gives me a sense of security and I’m just a little less nervous when he’s doing school activities, or sports or hanging out with friends.”
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Dr. Lindsay Weaver, chief medical officer for the Indiana State Department of Health, said in a Wednesday virtual news conference that “expanding the vaccine to younger Hoosiers will help our children start getting back to the activities they love.”
The doctor added, “Our goal is to ensure that Pfizer is available at every local health department. To achieve this goal, we are sending Pfizer vaccines to local health departments in 30 counties that do not have any Pfizer providers. Those doses will arrive on Thursday. We also are sending vaccine Pfizer to the other local health departments that’ll arrive on Monday.”
Some clinics area accepting walk-ins, but adults must accompany children ages 12-15 to their appointments; parental consent is required for all minors. People younger than 18 are only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.