CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — One Clayton County 8th-grader said he's relieved to be fully vaccinated.
13-year-old Judah Whaley is part of our ongoing 11Alive series The Learning Curve, following students' journeys throughout the unprecedented 2021 school year.
“I'll be honest, it's definitely surreal," he said. "It is not predominantly virtual anymore, so you have to really apply yourself. Frequent testing when it comes to covid and when it comes to academics, it’s not necessarily a new way of life, but a new way of responding to life.”
Whaley is officially fully vaccinated. He believes it likely protected him from a recent covid case outbreak that affected his football team and 8th-grade hallway.
“I was glad I'm at the bar to get it because e need as many people vaccinated as possible," he said. "I probably was exposed to someone with covid. But having the vaccine, I didn't have [Covid]. You go from hoping that the mask or face shield was enough… to having a vaccine. The scientific development is amazing.”
As of mid-October, just 28% of 11 to 13 year old's in Georgia were vaccinated.
Whaley hopes his 8-year-old brother will qualify soon.
“He is too young to get the vaccine and hopefully there will be [an] opportunity that springs up for him to start getting safe as well," he said.
The two plan to go trick or treating this Halloween for the first time in two years. They’re also going to California for Thanksgiving to see family they haven’t been able to hug since 2019.
“You just have to cherish those moments and look forward to those opportunities," Whaley said. "It’s just a great change for the better.”
Last week, in Georgia there were 2,920 COVID-19 cases among five to 17 year old's. That’s about 500 cases less than the week before.
DATA: School-aged COVID-19 report (DHHS)
State health officials are urging all students 12 and over to get vaccinated.