While students were enjoying their snow day this past Tuesday, teachers were given the opportunity to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As part of Governor Dewine’s vaccine rollout plan, educators of any age are able to receive the vaccine.

After months of living in this pandemic, many teachers seized the opportunity to receive the vaccine. Mrs. McDulin, an art teacher, was one of those teachers.

She said, “I was very excited to receive this vaccine. I am scared to death of COVID-19 after seeing many friends struggle with it.”

The process of receiving the vaccine was described as efficient and quick by the teachers who took it.

Mrs. Thompson, senior English teacher, said, “I arrived at 1 and left around 1:15. Ten minutes of the time was spent in the waiting area after, just to make sure there was no reaction to the vaccine.”

Although symptoms from the vaccine kept some faculty members home the following day, both McDulin and Thompson agreed that they didn’t experience much beyond a sore arm.

McDulin said, “It felt just like a flu shot. I had gone sledding and snowboarding that same day, and I think I was more sore from that than the vaccine.”

Thompson added, “It affects everyone a little bit differently. For me, I’d compare it to a tetanus shot.”

Some teachers were not as receptive to the vaccine. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are under Emergency Use Authorization by the Food & Drug Administration, and this drove teachers to decline the vaccines.

Mrs. McAdams, French teacher, said, “The vaccine trial data won’t be released for a couple of years, and for that reason I thought it was too soon.”

Another teacher added, “This vaccine hasn’t been fully approved by the FDA, and with that being the case, why not wait?”

While taking the vaccine is certainly a matter of choice, those who took it felt a sigh of relief after receiving just their first dose.

McDulin said, “It is nice to know that I have that protection. I’m not as freaked out if I see a student with their mask down. Anxiety has been high this year, and the vaccine has helped to ease it.

Whether teachers chose to take the vaccine or not, they all could agree that they feel safe while teaching at Badin High School.

Thompson said, “I feel safer at Badin than I do at the store. We have taken every precaution possible to remain in-person.”

McAdams added, “Given the transmission rates of our age groups, as well as the precaution in place, I feel safe at Badin.”

As the vaccine becomes more widely available to the general public, teachers who received it endorse taking the vaccine.

Mrs. Thompson said, “I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to protect yourself.”