MARIETTA, Ga. — Marietta City Schools will offer the Pfizer vaccine to students 16 to 17 and their parents starting Friday.
In preparation, district parents tuned into a virtual town hall as Cobb & Douglas Public Health members walked through meticulous details about the vaccine.
The virus has impacted young people at a higher rate recently, as the infamous U.K. variant has become the most prominent strain in the U.S.
As virus case numbers rise again in other parts of the country, getting teens vaccinated becomes more important.
"Now we’re seeing, across the nation, that hospitalizations are going up in teenagers," said Dr. Frita Fisher with Emory University Hospital. "They’re getting respiratory infections, they’re going to the ICU and they’re getting some of the long haul or long COVID symptoms in other words kids are getting brain fog and learning complications from having covid-19 infections."
Experts say getting teens and children vaccinated is crucial to gaining herd immunity. But it doesn’t come without concern. During the town hall, one person asked if there are any major side effects.
"Thus far, we’ve seen that the children have the same side effect profile as the adults which is generally quite minor. Maybe a fever and some headaches," said Dr. Fisher.
The district hopes to get the vaccine to as many students and parents as possible. Once vaccinated, students will be exempt from quarantine rules if exposed to the virus.
You can find details about the district administering the vaccine on its website.