Covid-19 jabs: Teen actors, celeb parents heave a sigh of relief

Covid-19 vaccinations for teenagers aged 15 to 18 began on Monday, and over 40 lakh teens received their first dose on the same day. Young actors who have been filming in the midst of the pandemic lauded the decision, which comes at a time when the Omicron variant is on the rise.

Actor Kartikey Malviya, who recently turned 18, reveals that he was getting “impatient” for the first jab and has received it now. “No matter how many protocols you adhere to, we make mistakes. Sometimes, our masks slip off, and we don’t have sanitisers around us. That’s why vaccination is important,” says the Karmaphal Daata Shani actor as he urges all teens to go and get themselves vaccinated. 

17-year-old Ashnoor Kaur of Patiala Babes fame is relieved to be able to get the shot, but asserts that precautions and protocols remain important to keep the virus at bay. “I’m looking forward to getting myself vaccinated. I’ve been travelling and working through the first and second waves, and there was always a sense of fear. Now that vaccines are available, it definitely feels like I’ve got a way to finally feel protected,” she shares. 

This is also a huge relief for actors who have teenage children. Mother to 17-year-old Satyendra, actor Renuka Shahane, says, “We’re now protected, thanks to vaccines. It’s high time that our children also feel the same. Vaccines improve immunity and even if you do contract Covid-19, the symptoms aren’t very severe.” But Shahane quickly adds that she never stopped her son from going out and meeting his friends: “In fact, I encouraged him to go out and play football because open spaces are safer.”

Actor Amar Upadhyay, who has an 18-year-old son, Aryaman, shares that his son is already vaccinated and that the availability of vaccine for teens is indeed “fantastic news”. “I was very worried. Yes, their immune is stronger than ours but it doesn’t mean that vaccines aren’t necessary for them,” he says.