‘I’ve been wanting to do this since COVID started’; Hoosier kids get first doses of COVID-19 vaccine

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It’s day three of COVID-19 vaccinations for kids ages 5 to 11, and hundreds of Hoosier kids are now vaccinated.

In Marion County, some parents brought their kids to the health department’s South District site.

After a lot of waiting, on Friday, Jonathan Mirgeaux finally brought his 8-year-old son Miles Mirgeaux to get his COVID-19 vaccine. He says it’s been tough watching his third grader grow up in the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been hard. He’s been really great,” said Jonathan Mirgeaux.

“He’s been a real champ in doing it and have been putting up with everything and all the difficulties and the challenges, so (I’m) really proud of him,” Jonathan Mirgeaux continued.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since COVID started, and I’ve always wondered where COVID (came) from. That’s one thing about COVID,” Miles Mirgeaux said.

Jonathan Mirgeaux says it hasn’t been easy to watch his son have less time with friends. He coaches his son’s soccer team, but several games have been canceled because of the pandemic.

For Miles Mirgeaux’s seventh birthday, friends and family held a drive-by birthday party.

“A lot of people came by. Even my teacher came by,” Miles Mirgeaux said.

Jonathan Mirgeaux says he’s also looking forward to getting his 4-year-old daughter vaccinated.

“We’re just really thrilled that we can move on and get all of this behind us, hopefully. The sooner the better,” Jonathan Mirgeaux said.

At this time, the Marion County Public Health Department is not able to provide the number of kids 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated so far.

The Indiana State Department of Health says they’ll be adding the number of those ages 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated on their website, but haven’t yet.