Houston area teens among first to be vaccinated in 12 through 15 age group

HOUSTON – Virtual learning, severed social ties, and mental health complications on the rise are all difficulties teenagers were faced with during the pandemic.

In Pia Andrade’s case, her mother was also diagnosed with cancer.

“I have been extremely careful throughout this whole thing,” Pia said. “My principal actually died from COVID. He was perfectly fine and he got it and was hospitalized and he just died. I’ve seen the effects firsthand, and the more of us that get vaccinated, the better the world will be.”

“Unfortunately, what COVID has shown us is we don’t know who’s going to get affected,” Janay Andrade, Pia’s mom, said.

Janay said she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and they’ve taken all the precautions they can, plus, everyone in her household except Pia was eligible for a vaccine until this week.

That’s why Pia is rolling up her sleeve on Thursday and taking a stab against COVID before it has a chance to hurt her or any more people close to her.

She said it was a much anticipated moment that only took two seconds of her day and a giant weight off her shoulders.

“It feels pretty amazing. A little bit like a superhero,” Pia said.

Adolescents who wish to get vaccinated can do so at one of these locations: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/05/11/how-soon-will-kids-teens-receive-vaccine-in-houston/