On Monday, February 8, Fort Thomas Independent Schools (FTIS) will be having a single day of non-traditional instruction (NTI) because the employees in the district will be receiving their second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. FTIS was one of the first districts to receive the vaccination.

      FTIS K-12 personnel received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on January 17.  After waiting 21 days to receive their second dose, it will finally be distributed this Sunday, February 7.

      “I’m fine with it, anything to get back to normal,” said  Math teacher TJ Lykins when asked how he feels about getting his second dose.

      Many people question the vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine was one of the fastest vaccines created for a disease so deadly. With new things come new rumors. Some of the rumors that are being spread are, “the COVID-19 vaccines will alter your DNA” and “if you get vaccinated, it could make you infertile.” However, these rumors don’t seem to affect these employees’ opinions.

      “Yeah, I have heard the rumors… it doesn’t alter my opinion at all,” said Drama teacher Jason Burgess.  “I consider it to be like the flu shot when you don’t feel great for a couple of days sometimes.”

      Now that the employees will have safely gotten both doses of the vaccine, it begs the question of when the students will be able to receive theirs. Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci, hopes that students have access to the vaccination as soon as April.

       “I think that people 16 and older will receive the vaccine in the fall, while younger people will hopefully receive the vaccine in the winter, but hopefully sooner,” said Health teacher Mike Code. 

     For now, all that can be done is try to stay safe by following the safety guidelines and wait patiently to receive the vaccine.