NH boy becomes first 12-year-old in Granite State to get COVID vaccine

SALEM, N.H. — One day after getting his first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, 12-year old Alexander Smith is feeling fine.

“I’m feeling great just like normal,” Alex said.

Alex was the first 12-year old in New Hampshire to get the first dose of the vaccine just hours after the Centers for Disease Control endorsed Pfizer’s two-dose shot for children 12 or older. The FDA approved Pzifer’s vaccine for emergency use earlier in the week.

PREVIOUS: FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine use for children age 12 to 15

“I wanted to sign him up to get him protected as quickly as we could,” said Alex’s mother, Katelyn Kuttab.

After the CDC gave the go-ahead, Kuttab immediately went to the state’s vaccination website and searched for an appointment.

“I knew it would be opening yesterday or today. I kept refreshing the screen and saw it changed from 16 to 12. I went ahead and registered him. Then I saw there was an appt for 7 p.m., so I took it. We got in the car and got there as quick as we could,” she said.

MORE: How do you schedule your kids’ COVID-19 vaccination appointment?

They went to the old Lord & Taylor at the Rockingham Mall. Alex was greeted by members of the National Guard and local firefighters. Mom even snapped a photo of a firefighter holding her son’s hand as the pediatrician administered the shot and assured him it wouldn’t hurt.

NH boy receives COVID vaccine A New Hampshire boy is the first 12-year-old to received a COVID-19 in the Granite State. (Photo courtesy of Katelyn Kuttab)

Alex hopes this is the first step to getting his life back to the way it was. He says he misses soccer and being in the classroom while he continues to learn remotely.

“I wanted to get it because we’ve been waiting to do things, and it’s exciting to finally be safe,” said Alex.

Alex is the oldest of four siblings. Mom says as soon as she’s able to, she’ll get all of her children vaccinated against coronavirus.

“To get the pandemic under control, we need to get a good portion of the population vaccinated. And I think everyone should try and protect families as best as they can, so I wanted to protect them as quickly as I could,” said Kuttab. “We thought we might be able to ease other people’s concerns, people who are thinking about getting it, or not, or who are on the fence. Maybe seeing another kid get it, and he’s feeling fine this morning - it might ease them into getting the vaccine for themselves or their children.”

Download the free Boston 25 News app for up-to-the-minute push alerts