By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
In March 2020, Santiago's life, like that of millions of children around the world, changed dramatically. At 12 years old, he went from attending school to taking online classes, from playing football to exercising at home, and from seeing family and friends in meetings to talking to them via video conference.
Her life was turned upside down and she didn't know why. "I don't watch the news much, but I heard my parents talking about a virus. I got really scared. Everything changed. I stopped doing everything I loved: going to school, seeing my friends, going out to a lot of places. It was like a nightmare," she told P360P in an interview.
Santi, as his family calls him, gradually began to understand what was happening through information from his parents, teachers and the media. And although he thought it would be a matter of weeks, the news of new infections continued for months. Bored by the confinement, he hoped it would soon be over.
However, the number of new cases and deaths continued to rise. Santi is also one of the millions of children who have lost a loved one to COVID-19, as earlier this year, his great-grandmother passed away from the disease.
"That's why I want to tell my story, because I know there are many children who are afraid to get vaccinated. But nothing happens. Even though I'm scared of needles, I wanted to be brave so that nothing bad would happen to people, like my great-grandmother.
First those in front
It was in December 2020 when the story about the pandemic took an unexpected turn. "My mom yelled at me and I came out of my room. There's already a vaccine," she said. I asked if we could get it, but she explained that we had to wait. Again we had to wait. I was bored of hearing that, but I was also scared that my parents or other people would die.
"My parents told me that the first to be vaccinated would be the people who needed it most and those who were most at risk. First the grandparents and the doctors, then the adults, until finally, one day they also said children over 12 years old.
Santi was a few months away from his 12th birthday when the news came out. So at his young age he had to prepare himself mentally to fight a battle against all the fears that were going through his head, because he didn't like neither injections nor needles.
"I put everything on a scale, that's what my mom told me to do when I had doubts about making an important decision. And that's what I did, I wrote down on a sheet of paper why I should and shouldn't get vaccinated. I thought about my fear, but also about my great-grandmother. In the end, yes won out.
Take that, COVID-19: I'm not afraid anymore!
This August 1st Santi was able to receive the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. With his left arm uncovered he closes his eyes and receives a prick that lasts only a short time. When he is told that it is over, he opens his eyes again and a smile appears on his face.
"It didn't feel like anything, just a little pinch, like being pinched, but it didn't really hurt. I thought it was going to be worse. Last time it didn't hurt either. I'm very happy because I've already been vaccinated and so have my parents".
Santi says that when he grows up he wants to be a doctor so he can help other people, he adjusts the sleeve of his shirt while he gets up from his chair and hits the air quickly shouting: "Take that, COVID".
"By getting the COVID vaccine, I showed my family that I love them and that I want to get back to training, to tell my friends that I want to see them at school again, and to tell the world that if I can fight my fears, everyone can.
"We'll still be wearing masks for a while, but if we all do our part we'll soon be smiling again."
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