As we now have entered November and are winding down the first quarter of the year (November 10th), we look forward to upcoming events that we were not able to have in person last year like our annual Veteran’s Day program, the annual MCC American Education Celebration, and the annual Musical put on by our drama department. We also are looking forward to the winter sports season and the upcoming holidays. Before all of this though, we have to cheer on our girls’ cross country team as they have qualified and will compete at the state cross country meet and also cheer on our football team as they continue to compete in the playoffs. It has been a fun and exciting first quarter of the year and we look forward to what is ahead of us here at MCC.
As I write this article, we just received word that the FDA has given authorization for children ages 5-11 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines have been carefully studied in children under 12, just like they were for people 12 and older. An independent panel of advisers to the FDA recommended and endorsed kid-sized doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday, October 25th based on their thorough and transparent evaluation of the data. The FDA agency has issued its unanimous decision on authorization on November 2nd. A dose of Pfizer for young children contains one-third of the amount of the adult dose.
Now that the vaccine is authorized, Minnesota is ready to vaccinate this younger age group and there will be many different places to get the shot. All you need to do is get your child vaccinated when they are eligible. Being vaccinated is the best way to protect your child and the people around them.
If you have questions about vaccines, your pediatrician or family physician can be an excellent source of information. You can also get more information from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or on Minnesota’s new website Vax for Kids.
Why Should I get My Child Vaccinated?
Getting your child vaccinated helps them stay safe during school, sports and other social activities that are vital for a child to experience in person. Their vaccination also helps protect vulnerable family members, friends and neighbors.
The CDC has also reported that unvaccinated people are more than 10 times likely to be hospitalized than those that have been fully vaccinated. We cannot predict who will get very sick from COVID-19, so taking steps to prevent people from getting sick, such as vaccination, are very important.
As we continue to navigate our way back to more normal times, please take a moment and express your gratitude for our educators and staff. While teaching and all the other work needed to keep a school District up and running is not easy in the best of times, these past 18 months have been especially taxing on our educators and staff. They appreciate and need your encouragement to keep serving our students to the best of their abilities.
If you haven’t already, take a moment to follow us on social media or download our MCC Schools app. This is an easy way to stay up to date on all that is happening around MCC.
Go Rebels!
Joe W. Meyer, Superintendent