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6-year-old Chicago girl gets COVID-19 vaccine after being diagnosed with the virus last year

By FOX 32 News
Published  November 4, 2021 4:27pm CDT
Coronavirus Vaccine
FOX 32 Chicago

Chicago girl, 6, gets COVID-19 vaccine

A 6-year-old Chicago girl, who was one of the first children in the nation to be diagnosed with COVID-19, is now one of the first in the nation to get the Pfizer vaccine.

CHICAGO - A 6-year-old Chicago girl, who was one of the first children in the nation to be diagnosed with COVID-19, is now one of the first in the nation to get the Pfizer vaccine.

In May of 2020 at four-years-old, Amelia Ateca was diagnosed with COVID-19 and a COVID-19-related condition called MIS-C, or multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

MORE: Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11 begins to roll out in Chicago

She spent seven days on a ventilator. 

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She recovered, but her parents say it was an experience they will never forget, and they wanted her to be the first in line for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"I don't want another parent or another child to have to go through what we did," Amelia's mom said. "It's sometimes inevitable, but if there is a preventative measure that you can take, you should be taking it."

Amelia got the vaccine at Advocate Children's Hospital Thursday morning.

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Many parents may have questions now that children can begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Larry Kociolek of Lurie Children's Hospital answers some common concerns and questions.