FARMINGTON, Utah — Kids ages 12-15 in Davis County are lining up at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations Thursday.
The doors for the vaccine clinic opened at 10 a.m. and mother Happie Larson was one of the first people in line to get her children vaccinated.
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Larson is a mother of 23 children. On Thursday, she brought two 13-year-olds and one 15-year-old in for vaccinations.
“My life is to keep my children safe. That is my responsibility and my job. To me this is one step to make sure that my children are safe,” Larson said.
She says she has no hesitation in getting her kids vaccinated but, it’s a conversation she had with each of them, letting them make their own decisions.
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“We offered them the option of choosing to have a vaccine, or the option of opting out. We expressed to them how having the vaccine would give them opportunities outside of the home more, and they made their choice,” Larson said.
Larson is also encouraging other families to weigh their options and talk to their children about the vaccine.
“I would encourage people to make the choice that’s right for their family, to weigh all options and to be informed, to not give in to paranoia, to not be fearful, but to gather all the facts and make the choice that’s right for them, not to judge others who choose not to, and not to judge us who choose to,” Larson said.
There are more than 26,000 Davis County residents in the 12-15 age group and the Davis County Health Department is hoping to see many of them come in for a vaccine.
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“It’s exciting for us in public health. You’ve heard the term ‘herd immunity.’ You can’t get everybody if they’re not all covered. There was a big gap there from our adolescents down and slowly it’s being approved for the younger populations,” said Davis County Health Department director Brian Hatch.
Appointments for vaccinations at Legacy Events Center are recommended, but not required.
To make appointments you can do so online.
Parental consent is needed for anyone under 18 and, for anyone 12-15, a parent or guardian will need to be present.
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The Utah County Health Department will start vaccinating people in the 12-15 age group Friday, and the Salt Lake County Health Department will start on Monday.