As the United States and other nations worldwide begin to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to those eligible, the return to a type of normalcy is slowly but surely giving individuals a glimmer of hope. 

In Michigan, as of April 5, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared teenagers ages 16 and older eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. 

At Mercy, some students including myself have had the opportunity to receive our first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. 

Senior Aisling Heaphy, 17, received the Pfizer vaccine over spring break at Ford Field in downtown Detroit. 

“I was slightly nervous but mostly excited,” said Heaphy after receiving her first dose. 

“My arm was a little sore for the rest of the day, but other than that I was fine.” 

Since the increase of vaccine supply in Michigan, arenas like Ford Field and convention centers like the TCF Center (formally known as Cobo Hall) have now become major vaccination distribution centers. 

“Ford Field was so organized, there were military cadets everywhere assisting people and the whole process took less than 20 minutes,” Heaphy said. 

Although Michigan is currently ranking first in the country in the newest surging cases of COVID-19, the rate of Michiganders receiving their first dose of any of the CDC approved vaccines is increasing. 

The state of Michigan has reported giving the first dose vaccines to roughly 35% percent of the state’s population. And of that percentage, 23% of Michigan residents have been fully vaccinated. Overall Michigan has distributed approximately 5.6 million doses. 

Heaphy intends to receive her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the end of April.

After being fully vaccinated, Aisling intends to visit other vaccinated family members and friends that she has not seen since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.