TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — About 8.7 percent of all COVID 19 cases reported to the CDC occurred in children, and how we handle COVID-19 now will have a large impact on their future. That's why local leaders are listening to their input.
More than 40 children between 11 and 18 years old logged on Sunday for a listening session hosted by The Rotary Club of Tallahassee Southside, Leon County Schools, and members of the Leon County Coronavirus Taskforce. Local experts answered their top questions and encouraged them to create change in their communities.
"You all are being empowered, you all are being educated, you're leaders so that you can help educate people in your age group and also help educate us on what do we need to say, what do we need to talk, about what's important as it relates to trying to prevent disease in younger people," said Dr. Joedricka Brown Speights.
Organizer Christic Henry says some of their top questions had to do with vaccines.
"One question came out about Johnson & Johnson and the impacts of that shot and the blood clots, so there's a great deal of concern, and there should be," said Henry.
She adds they'll use the information gathered from participants to push for youth-centered vaccination clinics.
"What we're looking to do as a follow-up form in the next couple of days to engage those youth again to get to the action aspect of it," said Henry. "What we hope will be a result of that will be recommendations of course that we can take to our city and county government to say, 'hey this is how we need to be approaching this accessibility issue for vaccination and for COVID prevention among our youth in Leon County.'"
Henry says she anticipates their second session will happen within the next two weeks.
