As the 2021-2022 school year began in-person, elementary students were still unvaccinated; at the time, vaccines were only available for ages 12 and up, making only middle and high school students eligible for vaccination. Now, that is no longer a concern; elementary students are now eligible as well!

Elana Leichty, a sophomore at Freedom, has a 10-year-old sibling who attends Liberty Elementary School.

“My family is very happy that kids are now able to get vaccinated,” Leichty said. “Our worries are more eased and it’s easier to go places without being scared that [her sibling] will get COVID-19.” 

Elementary students participate in many social activities at school, whether that be recess, PE or lunch. These students, although aware of the dangers of COVID-19, might not be fully aware of following safety protocols at times. As a result, parents often worry about whether their child is truly safe at school, since they cannot monitor who their child interacts with, the potentially-infected places they go to, and if their child is socially-distant, sanitizing their hands and taking basic precautions. With the release of a vaccine for younger children, parents feel more relieved that their child is better protected against this deadly virus.

Desirae Deitterick, a Mathematics teacher, said, “Luckily, since [my seven year old son] and his step siblings have been vaccinated, I’m not as stressed about my son spending time with his grandparents who are not vaccinated, though I do still worry.”

Although children are not as affected by the severity of COVID-19, they may be carriers of the virus; this endangers older staff members and those with weak immune systems at elementary schools. Now, as the vaccination rate for younger children increases, more people feel more comfortable and relieved about children interacting with the public. 

Elementary schools are slowly becoming safer, leading to less disruptions in their learning environment. This brings schools one step closer to a somewhat normal school year!