How is Athens High School changing as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available?
by Izze Kaukonen
“This is one step closer to having a normal life with no masks or any protocols” -Jay Choi
The 2020-21 school year at Athens High School has been far from normal. From the block schedule to the plastic protectors, the memory of a regular school year has been far removed. However, the Pfizer vaccine recently became available to those sixteen and above. This means that around half of those at Athens High School are now eligible to get the vaccine. Additionally, it was recently announced that AHS students sixteen and above will be able to get vaccinated at the high school. This prompts the question: how is Athens changing as students begin to get vaccinated? And how is the Athens student population reacting to the vaccine?
Superintendent Tom Gibbs has reported that almost ninety percent of faculty, staff, and admin as ACSD have been fully vaccinated. He also stated that “Several who have not been vaccinated needed to wait a while because they had previously been diagnosed with Covid-19 (generally physicians want you to wait 90 days after testing positive to have the vaccine).” With the majority of those working at ACSD, and more to become vaccinated, eyes have turned towards vaccinations in students. With the vaccine becoming more accessible to students through the high school, Gibbs states that “[His] guess is we’ll have a fairly high response rate overall.”
When asked if things will be relatively normal in the fall (whatever that means), Gibbs stated, “I do believe we will be open for school on a typical schedule.” However, Gibbs noted that this does not mean that necessary safety measures will be considered null and void. The district is working towards more Covid-safe precautions such as an improved HVAC system and more accessible sanitizing stations. Additionally, Gibbs stated that the only way for things to truly return to “normal”, herd immunity must be achieved. On the other hand, Gibbs estimated that the Pfizer vaccine will soon be made available to those twelve and up, which would make the vaccine accessible to the entire high school. Things are looking up for Athens High School!
With this in mind, some might ask how Athens students are feeling about vaccinations. Jay Choi and Emma Biano are Athens high school students who have both gotten their first Pfizer shot. Both Choi and Bianco stated that they would recommend it for anyone who is eligible to get the vaccine. In fact, Bianco stated, “In the Athens student body, I see that more and more people are getting the vaccine and promoting it. Some may do this by posting a picture after they are vaccinated.” Choi stated that he thinks it is important for students to get vaccinated because “This is one step closer to having a normal life with no masks or any protocols.” Choi and Bianco both stated that the majority of their friends are getting vaccinated or plan to be.
Choi did note that some of his friends are expressing hesitancy, “Others think something is going to happen to them.” Bianco also noted that getting the first vaccination does not constitute full immunization, “You are not immune to Covid right away. Others are not vaccinated and hanging out with them without proper social distancing is still a risk. The vaccine isn’t a cure, but a necessary safety measure.” Choi and Bianco both stated that they had minimal side effects from the first shot. Additionally, Bianco stated that the actual process of getting the shot was relatively simple, “My parents helped me sign up, and they responded with an appointment almost immediately.”
As the school year comes to an end, there are many uncertainties about the future of Athens High School. However, with vaccinations becoming more and more accessible, along with a relatively good response from Athens students, things seem to be looking up.