Vaccination Experiences of Del Norte Students
On April 15, San Diego County opened vaccine availability to all residents ages 16 and older. As a result, Del Norte students are receiving their first and second vaccine doses to protect against COVID-19.
Before receiving his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, Alex Zakoor (‘22) said that “the availability [of scheduling vaccines] in San Diego was not the greatest.” Despite having to drive all the way to Indio for his first vaccine appointment, Zakoor expressed how “it would be exciting to get my vaccine and return to normal a bit.” Zakoor has “been keeping interaction to minimum” because his “family has been taking COVID pretty seriously” and quarantining effectively. Zakoor said he is “probably just going to wait until two weeks after the first dose or after the second dose” to start interacting with his friends on a more regular basis, based on what vaccine developers Pfizer and Moderna state regarding effectiveness growing over time. He went on to say how “it is definitely worth [getting the vaccine] even if there are potential aftereffects.” However, Zakoor does not anticipate experiencing many symptoms based on the lack of symptoms his family experienced when getting their first vaccine shots.
Emilia Wightlin (‘23), who received her first dose on April 4, said that her first vaccination shot was painless and “hurt less than a flu shot.” Other than feeling a bit tired, Wightlin reported no post-vaccination symptoms. Wightlin received her first dose at the CVS Pharmacy in 4S Ranch. She said that there was a “check-in table outside and a then really long line” wherein “everyone was socially distanced” in addition to wearing masks, however she was not “outside for very long” as the line moved relatively quickly. Wightlin also shared how the actual vaccination “happened really fast” and all she had to do after getting the shot and receiving her vaccination card was “walk around CVS for fifteen minutes” so the vaccinators could make sure she was not experiencing any immediate side effects. She said that getting herself fully vaccinated will help her worry less about COVID-19 and “feel less stressed when [she is] out in public.” Wightlin was also excited to see so many people of all ages lining up to get their vaccines: “The more people who get [the vaccine], the more we will be able to protect the community and help protect the people who aren’t able to get the vaccine.”
Rohit De (‘23) received both of his vaccinations at Rady’s Children’s Hospital and said that on his most recent dose, he almost didn’t feel it, thinking instead that the nurse “was still wiping [his arm] with the alcohol wipe.” De said that after he got his second dose, he “only woke up with shoulder pain”. De reported that the process “took 5 minutes [for the second dose] , andinutes [for the first dose],” as it was “pretty crowded” the first time around. De said he wanted to get the vaccine as early as possible to have “more freedom in the current pandemic situation.” He also added that he “hopes that everyone else gets it as soon as they can” so that we can “get back on track from the virtual [learning] experience.”
It is not yet known how the increased availability of vaccines will impact the way schools in San Diego operate, and PUSD has yet to release a statement regarding how the 2021-2022 school year will operate, being either in person, virtual, or a hybrid of the two. However, multiple Del Norte students have expressed high hopes for the future of vaccinations in our community.