On May 16, Choate students who received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 three weeks ago returned to receive their second. The day marked yet another milestone in the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic that began more than a year ago and that has upended life at Choate and across the globe.
According to Ms. Libby Peard, who scheduled bussing for the students receiving the vaccine, there were a total of 19 round trips to the vaccination site, during which three or four buses departed Choate each time, spending roughly an hour at the site. This included a fifteen to thirty-minute observation period between the time students received the vaccination and returning to campus to ensure that they did not experience adverse side effects. This round of vaccinations was similar to the first, though students under 16 years of age, who recently became eligible for the vaccination, were also on the bus to receive their first shots.
Kathleen McClatchie ’23 said the experience of getting the second dose went smoothly. Instead of getting vaccinated on a bus, as was the protocol for the first round of vaccinations, students exited the bus and sat on tables to fill out paperwork and receive the vaccine.
Mr. James Stanley was one of the chaperones for both rounds of vaccinations. Due to an accident on I-91, his bus was delayed leaving Choate, and wind and rain in East Hartford significantly slowed the vaccination process. Mr. Stanley complimented Choate students. “I was so impressed with how patient, cooperative, and good-natured everybody was. It’s not a fast process,” he said.
Since students need two weeks after the second dose before they are fully immunized, Covid-19 protocol changes will come right in time for graduation. Medical Director Dr. Miriam Cohen said, “I do hope it means we can very safely do things like the Last Hurrah and senior events without distancing.”
Having received two doses of the vaccine, Pau Alvarado ’21, a resident of Mexico City, said the quarantine period after travelling home may be shorter for her now that she is completely vaccinated. Alvarado, who will see her family at home after she graduates next week, added, “I feel so much better and safer knowing that … being vaccinated decreases the risk of me giving Covid-19.”
Side effects from the second vaccination are generally worse than the first. In recent weeks, teachers who primarily received the Moderna vaccine, cancelled their classes after suffering adverse side effects. However, Dr. Cohen noted that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has fewer negative side effects than Moderna. Nevertheless, the School planned ahead for students who may not feel well. McClatchie experienced side effects such as dry mouth and vomiting.
The Health Center went into dorms and checked on students. The School asked teachers to avoid giving assessments on May 17 and 18, and all classes on May 17 were asynchronous. “We wanted to be mindful of the lessons teachers had planned for this term and make sure they had time to cover the content that they wanted to, but at the same time support students,” said Dean of Students Mr. Mike Velez ’00.
Nicolas Madon ’21 was one of the many students who were relieved that classes were asynchronous. “My nerves have really stemmed from having to do schoolwork and having to perform at the same capacity under those conditions and, in a sense, that’s been taken care of,” he said.
Since the vaccine rollout has now been extended to people between the ages of 12 and 15 , the School offered one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on campus before the end of the school year to anyone on campus wanting to take it who met eligibility requirements. Next fall, there will be another round of vaccinations for everyone who has not received a dose.
Dr. Cohen said that with almost the entire student body immunized next year, it will “make a tremendous difference to what we can do on campus.”
