HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut made history Thursday morning, with a group of 12-15 year old's becoming some of the first in the country to get their Pfizer booster shots. The vaccinations came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), signed off on expanding booster eligibility to that age group on Wednesday.
A group of eight Connecticut kids and teens were some of the first to get their shots, including 14-year-old Miya Scranton of West Hartford.
"It was definitely some relief. And I'm also really glad I got it as early as I possibly could," Scranton said after she got her shot. "I wanted to do this because my mom is immunocompromised. So if she were to get COVID, the impacts on her would be a lot more severe than anyone else in my family.”
It's been a heavy weight for a 14-year-old to carry, but Miya's mom couldn't be more proud of her.
"She takes on the responsibility, she tells her friend about that, my son stayed home the entire year last year," said Lisa Scranton, Miya's mom.
As COVID-19 cases surge, it's not just adults that are getting sent to the hospital. More kids across the country are filling COVID-19 units, with some needing intensive care. It's happening here in Connecticut. At Connecticut Children's alone, 14 children are hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday afternoon.
"We know that with omicron, boosters are going to be your main source of protection," said Dr. Ulysses Wu, Chief Infectious Disease at Hartford HealthCare.
Some of the children who got their shot wanted to send a message to their peers, encouraging them to follow suit.
"I like to make an analogy about it as a helmet or a seatbelt...you may crash, you may fall, you may break down, You may get the virus, in other terms. But it’s going to help you that much more and keep you off of a ventilator," 14-year-old Charles Muro of West Hartford.
A spokesperson for Hartford Healthcare says Thursday's vaccinations were only the beginning. They have an ample supply of vaccines for children. To sign their child up for a booster shot, parents can go to the portal on the Hartford Healthcare website. Parents can also schedule an appointment by clicking here.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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