Hope is finally shining at the end of the tunnel with vaccines rapidly rolling out. However, it’s been a bit slower for teenagers to get these COVID-19 vaccines. Currently teenagers ages 16-17 can get the Pfizer vaccine, and teens ages 18-19 can get Pfizer or Moderna. Some sophomores, juniors, and seniors have been able to get vaccinated already. We’re wondering, just how hard is it to get a vaccine as a teenager?

Upon speaking with several Eagan Highschool students, opinions varied substantially. One student stated that “It was a lot harder than I thought. I signed up for about three different Covid Vaccine tracker websites and then I finally got randomly selected after about two weeks.” Another student said, “It wasn’t quite as hard as I expect[ed]…The appointments go away fast so I had to act quickly once I was chosen because there aren’t a ton of date options as it is.” Overall it seems that getting a vaccine as a highschool student is a game that can only be won with luck and patience.

Another tricky issue is trying not to get COVID-19 during this new four day schedule for school, especially since you may get it (or just have to be quarantined regardless) even if you take all precautions possible. When I asked these students if they felt safer being vaccinated the answers were overwhelmingly “yes!” The first student remarked, “I definitely feel a lot safer and more comfortable being at school especially now that we are back to four days.” The second student echoed this sentiment, explaining that “I think I do feel safer just because I know there is a much smaller chance that I’d get COVID even if someone who was sitting right next to me tested positive.” While getting the vaccine can be a grueling process, in the end the safety it brings pays off.

It has been an interesting, and for some, extremely difficult, time to be living in during this pandemic. The vaccination process can be chaotic to say the least. Once the vaccine gets approved for all ages, hopefully life will get back to normal soon. Until then, only a select few teenagers can get vaccinated and usually end up feeling safer because of it. When it’s your turn, get vaccinated.