More than 400 AGS boys get COVID-19 jabs on Day One of vax drive

More than 400 Ateneo de Manila Grade School students aged 5 to 11 years old received their first dose of the COVID-19 jab on Day One of the school’s pediatric vaccination drive on February 19, 2022. Held at the Ateneo Grade School (AGS) Singson Hall, the inoculation drive obeyed health and safety protocols and is a project of AGS & the Quezon City Local Government Unit.

Decorated with colorful posters and banderitas, with plastic fruits, letters of the alphabet and vegetables dangling from the ceiling, the venue had a fiesta-like atmosphere. Following inoculation, the boys were rewarded with loot bags containing candy, colored pens and other fun items in recognition of their “good jab.”After exiting Singson Hall, the boys found themselves on a short tour of the campus that took them past the playground and the Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angels. Placed along the walkway were cutouts of superheroes like Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man, where the boys could pose with their faces “superimposed” on the heroes’ bodies. Indeed, Assistant Headmaster for Student Affairs Virgie Esteves likened the vaccination drive to “organizing the school fair.”    

Here's how some of the boys described their vax experience:    

“It kinda hurt.” – Joaquin, Grade 1 

“It was great (but) it kinda hurt.” -Martin, Grade 2 

“I feel normal.” -Matteo, Grade 3

“It’s painful.” –Gavin, Grade 4

“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be.” -Arjay, Grade 5

“It felt painful for a second.” -Hugo, Grade 5 

“It was painful when it went in.” -Jap, Grade 5 

“It feels kinda weird. My left hand, which I use, feels slow to do actions.” -Andrew, Grade 5

"It was good. No pain." -Carlisle, Grade 6

In addition to the 405 boys who received their shots on Feb. 19, Mrs. Esteves reports that more than 1,540 AGS students will receive their shots during the two remaining days of the vaccination drive on February 26 and 28. (The AGS student population for school year 2021-2022 is 2,921.)

According to AGS Headmaster Jervy Robles, the vaccination of AGS students to protect them from COVID-19 is a vital step in the ongoing discussion about the resumption of on-site classes. “We are now starting to finalize our plans for our mode of instruction next school year,” he says. “With this inoculation drive, our students will be ready when conditions permit face-to-face classes once again.”      

Good jab, Atenistas!