“When I heard that in two weeks forms one to three could go back to school if they are vaccinated, I told my mother I wanted to go.”

Those were the words of 12-year-old Alyssa Rodulfo as she was about to get the Pfizer covid19 vaccine at the Diego Martin South Community Centre, Diego Martin on Saturday morning.

During her budget debate contribution on Friday, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said if all goes well fully vaccinated students of forms one to three would be allowed to return to physical school in the next two weeks.

Rodulfo heard the news about the possible return to physical school for lower secondary schools in a class WhatsApp chat, and she wanted to get back out. She was also motivated to get vaccinated because her older sister wanted to take her out for sushi but she needed to be vaccinated to enter a safe zone.

Sojourner Hyles-Lewis, former national netballer, basketballer and rugby player, and member of the Defence Force carried her two children to be vaccinated at their request.

She was at a nearby supermarket when her 12-year-old daughter and 17-year-old son expressed an interest in being vaccinated. She asked the supermarket attendants about a vaccination site in the area, and they told her about the community centre.

“I got vaccinated a while ago but I was weighing the options where the children were concerned. I was sceptical so was waiting on a little more information on the effects on children. But they said they wanted it, and I will be supportive.”

She added that her daughter wanted to return to physical school, and her son wanted to return to playing basketball and he was aware he had to be vaccinated to play group sports as well as to travel abroad.

The desire expressed by those ages 12-18 reinforced the Prime Minister’s continued encouragement for children to get vaccinated.

Speaking to members of the media at the vaccination site, Dr Rowley said, “We expect that children would want to go to school. It’s a tremendous psychological pressure on the children to be home. We, as a government, as a country, we believe that we are sufficiently safe to bring out children to school as we continue to follow the health protocols.”

He said the average parent did not want their children to be away from school so, as more children get vaccinated, more should be able to go to physical schools and get a better education compared to online schooling.

“Many people who are not taking part are still watching and waiting for a deeper comfort zone and we are hoping that as they see that others are doing it and benefiting from it, that they will join in.”

He said getting the vaccines was his most difficult job as Prime Minister.

[caption id="attachment_918067" align="alignnone" width="1024"] NWRHA employee Wendell Walters gives the Sinopharm vaccine to a man at the Diego Martin South Community Centre, Diego Martin on Saturday. - Photo by Jeff Mayers[/caption]

“Fortunately we succeeded and now we have what is required. Come and use it, one, to save lives; two, to (stave o