East Texas children receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Published 11:00 am Saturday, November 6, 2021

Friday was a special day for 10-year-old Grayson and 7-year-old Landon Henry, who were receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Northeast Texas Public Health District began offering the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 this week in Smith County after its recent federal approval.

The children were accompanied by their mother, Melissa Henry, who said the main goal of being vaccinated is to protect Landon, who has an immune-compromising condition. The pair were among the first 100 children to get the COVID vaccine in Smith County.

Melissa Henry said the added protection the shot provides is something she is thankful for.

“This gives us a little bit of a relief, knowing that this could help eventually get a little bit of our freedom back and keep people safe,” Melissa Henry said.

Melissa Henry and her husband both received their booster doses last week and said there was no hesitation on the decision to get their children vaccinated.

“Our hesitation went out the door when we knew there’s a possibility of them being hospitalized or even getting family members or friends sick,” Melissa Henry said.

She added both of her children have been wearing masks all year long at school, especially because of a COVID scare in Grayson’s classroom.

“It was really scary because he was also my friend,” Grayson said.

Melissa Henry said her children said they will continue to wear masks at school, but as a family, they will be open to attending more community events.

Landon was excited to get his vaccine and said he and his brother are “finally going to stay safe for a couple of months and weeks.”

The boys said they had a list of places they wanted to go to now that they’re vaccinated, such as Splash Kingdom and an indoor trampoline park.

In Gregg County, local health authority Dr. Lewis Brown said as of Friday evening there had been only four children who received a first dose of their COVID vaccine.

Brown said COVID vaccines for children are now available at the following locations in Gregg County:

• Gregg County Health Department
• Brookshire’s in Kilgore
• Louis Morgan Drugs #4, 110 Johnston St. in Longview
• Ancor Health Center, 818 Fourth St. in Longview
• First Choice Pediatrics, 1205 N. Sixth St. in Longview
• Super 1 Foods’ Pharmacy, on Marshall Street and on S. High Street.
• Brookshire’s, 3354 Gilmer Rd. in Longview
• Brookshire’s in White Oak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine for children ages 5 through 11. According to the CDC’s website, the low-dose shot has the same active ingredients as the vaccine given to adults and adolescents, but at one-third of the adult dose. Smaller needles designed specifically for children are used. A second shot can be administered three weeks after the first shot.

From Wednesday to Friday afternoon, at least 46 children in Smith County had received their first dose of the vaccine. The number continued to grow Friday evening as children arrived with their parents after school at NET Health’s vaccine hub at the Majesty Event Center in Tyler.

Also at the NET Health vaccine hub on Friday were Rosalin Galas and her daughter, Khloe Galas.

“I think it’s something we all have to do because of the pandemic going on right now, for our children’s health and for the health of others,” Rosalin Galas said, adding many friends she went to school with have died due to COVID-19.

10-year-old Khloe Galas said she wasn’t scared to get the vaccine and that she felt fine afterward.

Emil Mikkelsen, of Tyler, attended the vaccine hub with his 6-year-old daughter Nina, and said he had been waiting for the COVID vaccine for children to be approved and administered.

“Studies have shown that this is our best weapon to get out of this pandemic and especially with the kids, they’re so close together in the classrooms, there’s big spread in schools, give it to their parents, grandparents and so forth. We think it’s important to be a part of the solution. It’s important that everyone gets the vaccine and that includes children,” Mikkelsen said, adding it’s a community responsibility to take part in vaccinating against the virus.

Nina Mikkelsen attends school in person, where her father said there are COVID guidelines in place and that the school year has gone as good as it could have.

Nina said she was scared to get the vaccine but later showed off her Band-Aid with a big smile.

“The important thing for me is the community-based aspect of it. Generally, kids don’t get very sick. We don’t want them to get sick at all, it’d be a tragedy if it’s something that’s preventable, which this is, but being a part of reaching a high immunization number, that’s what we want to be a part of and that’s important to us,” Emil Mikkelsen said.

NET Health will continue to offer the COVID-19 vaccine for children at its vaccine hub located at the Majesty Event Center at 900 W Bow St. in Tyler.

The CDC’s announcement this week expands vaccine recommendations to about 28 million children ages 5 to 11 in the United States and allows providers to begin vaccinating them as soon as possible.

“Together, with science leading the charge, we have taken another important step forward in our nation’s fight against the virus that causes COVID-19,” CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky said in a media statement earlier this week. “We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine. As a mom, I encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, school nurse or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated.”