The administration of vaccinations for high school students and other young children is underway after Dr. Anthony Fauci’s announcement on March 7. On March 16, Moderna reported the start of trials for first doses to children under the age of 12.

The process for vaccinating America’s youth will proceed similarly to the current vaccination approach, offering doses first to those with underlying health conditions. Despite this exception, the news of being able to receive the vaccine sometime soon gives hope to Staples students, especially seniors.

“Personally I am excited that we will be able to get the vaccine soon,” Dani Barnes ’21 said. “[I] hope it means seniors will be able to have an end to high school that is as close to normal as possible with a prom and graduation.” 

The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have only been cleared for those 18 and older and the Pfizer vaccine for those 16 and older, yet Pfizer has finished enrolling children ages 12 to 15 for trials to receive the vaccine in the coming weeks.

Vaccinations for those under the age of 18 will first be offered to high school-aged students, with the majority of them receiving doses during the late summer months and early fall. Following this, vaccinations will be offered to middle and elementary school-aged students, the bulk of whom will be able to receive vaccination in the early months of next year.

As the summer nears and many high school students  receive the vaccine, the idea of a somewhat “normal” school year may not be too elusive.

“I think that with lots of teens having the opportunity to get vaccinated in the upcoming months, schools are going to be able to open relatively close to normal next year,” Chloe Nevas ’22 said. “Since we’re already coming back full time now, once lots of teens have the vaccine by the end of the summer, schools will definitely open up with normal in-person schedules, even if we’re still wearing masks for a good part of the year.”