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BOSTON – Therapy Dogs helped hundreds of Ashland and Holliston students get the sting out of the shot in the arm. 600 children, ages 5 to 11, showed up for their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Ashland High School Wednesday night.
Twelve therapy dogs from the local MetroWest Police Department and the State Police Barracks made the rounds for more than four hours. Children who were nervous about needles said the dogs did a good job keeping them calm.
“When we have a child who is really struggling, we bring the comfort dog and he can hold the dog with the arm he’s shot in,” said Ashland Sgt. Ed Burman, head of the COVID-19 task force the community.
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Burman said the vaccine clinic was set up with no waiting and multiple activities to keep it moving.
Nurses from various schools in Ashland and Holliston occupied the vaccination stations.
“It hurt a little, but if you can get candy afterward and pet the dogs, it’s really good,” said 9-year-old Asher Brown.
Parents who took their children to the clinic told Boston 25 News they were relieved that their children would be considered fully vaccinated in two weeks.
“It will feel good to be with the family afterwards. We’ll wait two weeks and make sure we feel safe, ”said Mother Meaghan Alexis. “There’s a lot less stress than last year seeing grandparents and a family out of town.”
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The CDC last month approved the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for children ages 5-11. This expanded vaccination recommendation affects approximately 28 million children in the United States in this age group.
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