Hoosiers 30 and up now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine

NOW: Hoosiers 30 and up now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine
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SOUTH BEND, Ind.-- Last Wednesday, the Indiana Department of Health announced anyone aged 16 and older will be eligible to register and receive a COVID-19 shot. This morning (Monday) just two days before the major eligibility expansion set for this Wednesday, March 31, the state announced any Hoosier aged 30 and older are now eligible and can get a head-start to sign up.

“It was really good to finally see this morning that I was eligible, I was already planning to log in to set up an appointment on Wednesday or whenever it was going to go to 16 and older,” Osceola resident Sam Householder said.

“I guess I’m not that surprised because the 31st they were letting everybody do it so I didn’t think they would announce say a 30-year-old type of thing, but I mean I was great because it’s 2 days early,” South Bend resident Jim Cassoday said.

After months of keeping a close watch on vaccine age eligibility drops, waiting their turn to get inoculated, community members felt a big sigh of relief to finally receive this news.

“This is just the steps to get back to a normal lifestyle and I can’t wait,” Cassoday said.

“I have a daughter, she’s 14-months-old, so you know she can’t get the shot and I want to keep her and my family as healthy as possible,” Householder said.

Meanwhile, other Hoosiers who are now eligible, still feel a little hesitant about signing up to get a shot. One community member said it’ll take some effort and a little bit more studies before he feels comfortable enough to get one.

“I’m bouncing back and forth to be honest, I don’t have my mind set one direction right now, I mean if I can see more results on testing and doing trials with it, I think that would probably put my mind more at ease than why it is right now,” South Bend resident Everett Lintz said.

However, he supports those who are choosing to roll up their sleeves!

“It’s great to see they’re starting to lower it down into the lower age brackets, I do know people that want to go and get their shot but haven’t been eligible to go and do it, so now with that age bracket coming down to 30+, many people I graduated with that opens that door for them,” Lintz said. “If they feel comfortable with it, then I’m alright with it!”

Those who are on the vaccine train said they believe the pros outweigh any possible cons, and in the end, it’ll be all worth it.

“It’s really just about educating yourself, knowing the risks and taking care of each other and looking out for people outside of your family and home, and at large,” Householder said.

“I’m a firm believer not everyone has to get vaccinated, but if most people do, we’ll be back to normal in no time,” Cassoday said.

If you’re a Hoosier 30+, you can register to get your shot by going to ourshot.in.gov, or by calling 211.

If you’re 16+, you will be eligible to register to get vaccinated starting on Wednesday, March 31.

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