KILLEEN, Texas — Killeen ISD is offering the COVID-19 vaccines for students in partnership with Baylor Scott & White McLane children's medical center. Health experts there say this is yet one step closer to some normalcy.
Students in the Killeen school district ages 12 through 15 are able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for free at one of four locations this week.
All you have to do is sign up.
"They administer the vaccine and they have emergency staff on hand so they watch the child for either 15 or 30 minutes afterwards to make sure there's no reaction." said Kirstin Sepulveda, an infectious disease registered nurse at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's medical center.
Sepulveda says the process is similar to any other vaccine.
According to the CDC, although fewer children have been infected with COVID-19 compared to adults, they can still get sick and spread the virus to others.
"By them getting the vaccine we can all get back to normal and we also can protect those in the community and love ones who may not have responded to the vaccine." said Sepulveda
Some kids may be a little anxious about any type of shot, so Sepulveda encourages parents to explain the process to kids beforehand.
"You can even tell them you know the needle is an inch or less long. It's a very short injection. And so it's one of those less than five seconds of discomfort and then years of helpful immunity." said Sepulveda
The CDC says children may have some side effects, which include pain and swelling on the arm as well as tiredness, muscle pain, fever.
But they say those are normal signs that their body is building protection.