On May 25, students 16 and older received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on school grounds. 

“I was super excited to be able to get the vaccine at a place I felt comfortable,” said junior Ava Estes. “It’s really cool that the school is giving students access to resources not all of us have at our fingertips.”

Case rates are dropping as more teachers and students get vaccinated each day. 

According to The New York Times, there was a 21 percent decrease in case numbers in Virginia Beach the last two weeks of May.

“I was kind of pressured by my family, but I’m glad I got it,” said junior Sean Kerrigan. “I didn’t want to get it at first, but then I did some research into it and felt better about it.”

According to the CDC, as of May 2021, Pfizer remains the only vaccine available to students under the age of 18. Teens are signing up for vaccinations in preparation for summer vacation as well as school this upcoming fall.

“I got the Pfizer vaccine because at the time it was the only vaccine available to people under 18. I just wanted to be able to do things and hang out with my friends without being paranoid,” said junior Riley LaRoche.

Students got their second dose on June 15.