12-year-old daughter getting COVID vaccine ‘right thing to do,’ father says

PHOENIX — COVID-19 vaccines for kids 12-15 years old could start in Arizona as early as Thursday, and a Scottsdale father can’t wait to get his 12-year-old daughter vaccinated.

“It’s the right thing to do, it’s the responsible thing to do,” Brad Shelts told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

State-run mass vaccination sites on Thursday will begin giving shots to anyone over age 12 if the Pfizer vaccine gets final federal clearance as expected, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Other sites across the Valley are ready to lower their age requirements as well.

While some parents are worried the COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out too quickly, Shelts said he feels confident and trusts the experts.

“I’m not concerned about the vaccine itself or the potential adverse reactions, which I know can happen, but they’re few and far between,” he said. “I’m more concerned about the long-term, unknown cognitive impacts of the virus or the damage to the heart — things like that.”

His 16-year-old daughter already got vaccinated.

Shelts said he and his wife plan to take their 12-year-old to get vaccinated once they take their other daughter for her second dose appointment. He added the goal is to get the entire family vaccinated.

“We want to do it so that our family can kind of get back to normal,” he said.

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