Greetings Alta Community,

 

I would like to share my story, as a parent, on getting my children vaccinated. We all love our children deeply and the choice was an easy family decision for us. This pandemic has affected us all and I lost an uncle to Covid at the height of the pandemic last winter. Our family life has not been the same during the pandemic. We mask up, social distance, limit going out and interacting. My wife and I got vaccinated in March when it was our turn, but we were still very cautious and safe with our children. When it was time for our children to get vaccinated, my daughter, Aubrey was very excited. She asked, "Can I go play with my friends now without a mask this weekend?" I had to remind her that you would not be fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after her second shot. My daughter, Ava, was excited to play sports without a mask. On Friday, November 5, my daughters had their first covid vaccine shot. It was 1/3 of the Pfizer adult dose. We knew it was safe because my wife and I had the Pfizer vaccine and it was recommended by our doctor. It has also been given to millions of people throughout the world. On Saturday, I was expecting my children to have some side effects after the shot and to sleep in. Nope, they woke us up at 5:45 a.m. laughing and playing ready start the day. 

 

As a family, we made the decision to get vaccinated. We want to keep ourselves safe and healthy for many years to come. We also want to keep our loved ones safe and protect our grandparents and vulnerable populations. Someone told me, last year, "Getting vaccinated is an act of love." It is an act of caring for others and saving someone. Too many people have died during the pandemic. Unknown to you, the vaccine could be saving you, someone you know or saving a stranger. It seemed worth it to our family.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jose Benitez, Parent