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I’m Sorry I Missed the Monster Mash, but I Was Busy Preparing the Administration of the COVID-19 Vaccine to Children Ages 5–11
I was working in the lab late one night. Actually, as Principal Chemist at Pfizer, I’ve been working overtime for months. Ever since the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was FDA-approved for children ages 12 and older, parents immediately began asking when their younger kids would be eligible. I understand their urgency. Given the devastation the pandemic has wrought, it must be so frustrating to have a life-saving preventative just out of reach. As the holidays approach, the demand has only intensified, with families eager to reconnect with loved ones across the country. I’ve pulled quite a few all-nighters in anticipation of the nationwide rollout, including on Halloween.
I did not expect my monster to work that evening. As a supervisor, I understand that with the title and the paycheck comes the need to take one for the team every once in a while. Besides, my staff already worked tirelessly through October 29, when the FDA announced its emergency use authorization for children ages 5–11. A proper night off would allow my monster to recharge his batteries and show up Monday morning ready to focus.
So you could imagine the look on my face when, suddenly to my surprise, my monster arose and started dancing…
