This Kid Pens A Love Letter To A Boy She Saw At The Vaccine Site

In this new normal, using vaccinations to scare kids into behaving well doesn't seem to work anymore.

In fact, some may even be looking forward to getting their shots.

Just ask Eryn and Arel, who both received their first COVID-19 vaccine doses under the government pediatric vaccination program. 

(Puppy) love at first shot

Eryn, age 5, wrote this short and sweet letter to a mystery boy she saw at the vaccination site last February 20:

"Hello. See you on your second dose. Love, Eryn."

Her mom Ayn shared the letter on social media. "Eryn was smitten by a boy at the pediatric vax site at The Podium and is now looking forward to her second dose.

"Because she had failed to ask for the boy's name, she wrote him a letter. And now, I am tasked to post it somewhere, hoping her message [would reach] her mystery boy."

The Smart Parenting Village heard Eryn. A parent shared Ayn's post with the community, and here we are. 

"I left her at the registration area for a few minutes and told her not to leave her seat," she tells Smart Parenting. "When I came back, she was right where I left her, but she started telling me about a boy she had seen. 

"She literally dragged me into the hall because, apparently, the boy and his mom [had already gone] inside."

Will Eryn get a second chance to meet the mystery boy during her second dose? Let's leave it to fate—and to you, dear reader.

"The more readers it reaches, the higher the chance of us finding my daughter's mystery boy," Ayn says.

The vaxxed vlogger

Here's another 'vax story' story that has caught our attention: Meet Arel, age 7, who received his first dose last February 9 at SM Aura Premier in Taguig City. He chronicles his experience in a vlog. 

Upon arrival at the site, he says, "I'm very excited. I'm here so I can get protected from the COVID-19 virus."

His energy matches the festive vibe of the carnival-themed site.

One of the personnel asked him, "Kuya, malapit ka na sa vaccination. Hindi ka natatakot?"

"I'm trying to be not takot," Arel candidly answers, "because [the] last time I [got] a vaccine, I was almost about to get takot, but I closed my eyes and it tanggal it."

Kids, take notes from Arel: "I'm just [going to] close my eyes when I'm about to get scared."

And when it's over, he jumps out of his seat and thanks the nurse. Arel also thanks the staff before claiming "the greatest loot bag ever, because I wasn't scared."

The vaxxed vlogger gives this parting shot: "Reminder: Take your vaccine as [soon] as you can so you can be protected from the virus."

Pediatric vaccination

On February 7, the government pediatric vaccination program was expanded to include children aged 5 to 11.

Vaccination of minors began last October, starting with children aged 12 to 17.

Kids aged 5 to 11 receive a reformulated Pfizer COVD-19 vaccine.

Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi, president of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, says, "For five- to eleven-year-olds, the dose is one-third of the adult dose."

In case of fever, chills, and headache after vaccination, you can give your child paracetamol, Dr. Bunyi advises.

As for the need for booster shots for kids, let's wait and see. "Doon sa five to eleven years old, dahil [nagsisimula] palang naman tayo, bakunahan muna natin, and then tsaka natin suriin kung gaano tatagal ang ibibigay na proteksyon ng bakuna sa mga bata," Dr. Bunyi says.

How did your kid’s shots go? Share their stories in the comments section.