We’re from the Philippines and we arrived in Winnipeg in February 2021. When we came to Canada, Zooey, our 8-year old daughter, had to go through a swab test for COVID-19 and catch up on other immunization shots. Because of all of that she was a little more experienced with what to expect when getting her COVID-19 vaccine. Before that, she would cry or do evasive moves to avoid the needle.
When we took Zooey for her first COVID-19 vaccine dose, we were so proud of her bravery. She said, “It hurts a little, but it’s okay.” It was nice to be able to distract her with cookies which took her mind off the needle.
One of the main reasons we wanted Zooey to get vaccinated is because we’ve lost family and friends to COVID-19, including Zooey’s uncle and godfather. We don’t want Zooey or anyone else in our family to go through a loss like that. It’s been a tough year.
Initially, when the COVID-19 vaccines first came out we worried about its safety and if it would work. After reading more information about the vaccines, we felt we could trust the science and Health Canada, and didn’t worry about it anymore.
Zooey didn’t have any side effects from her first COVID vaccine dose. We monitored her the first night and kept putting a hand on her forehead to check her temperature, but she was just acting like a normal kid—busy playing! There was no redness or soreness on her arm either.
I know COVID has had a big impact in Canada, but I think it’s worse in the Philippines. We don’t post photos on social media of Zooey on playgrounds or playing in the snow—not because we don’t want to, but because we know our friends in Manila have to keep their kids home a lot because of COVID. Their kids don’t go out as much there as they do here.
The first time Zooey was invited to a playdate in Winnipeg, we said no. We were wondering, are the parents vaccinated? Have they been exposed to COVID-19? After her first shot, we’ll feel more confident if she goes on a playdate, and we’ll feel even better when she gets her second shot. We plan to go to movie theatres and eat in a mall food court. Zooey is looking forward to being able to remove her mask more often, because it can get in the way when she’s playing.
We’re both photographers and we love to travel. Zooey is starting to make her own journal, take videos and photos. We look forward to getting to know Winnipeg and Manitoba. The COVID vaccine will give us more confidence to explore more of Canada.
