Southeast Ga. schools plan for prom, graduation as teens 16+ now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — 16 and 17-year old Georgians will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday, following Gov. Brian Kemp’s announcement Tuesday.

That means high schoolers in Brunswick can now go to prom and graduation feeling a little more at ease.

Glynn Academy principal Matthew Blackstone says students getting the vaccine doesn’t affect whether they’ll get to go to prom or graduation; he says those events are already set in stone, with safety measures in place.

Calling the vaccine a “game-changer” for students, Blackstone says several students at his school have already signed up for the Pfizer shot.

But Blackstone tells Action News Jax there are different rules for different schools.

Jadah Patrick is a senior at Camden County High School. She tells Action News Jax her school originally wasn’t going to have a prom, but now all that has changed.

“We’re going to be on the football field. Everyone’s spaced out, we’ll have to wear masks,” Patrick said.

Meanwhile, Blackstone wants to make sure his students get the high school experience they deserve. At his school, prom and graduation will be held outside in the stadium.

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As for Patrick, she says getting the vaccine goes beyond just wanting to return to normal.

“You don’t know whose life you’re saving,” Patrick said.

Dr. Spence with the Glynn County School System said, “like all school districts in Georgia, we are encouraged by the expansion of the vaccine eligibility. We want everyone to have the opportunity to receive the vaccine, and hope that our students and staff feel a sense of hope and normalcy on the horizon.”

Cox Media Group