Danvers Teen Siblings Hope To Set Vaccination Example

DANVERS, MA —When Melanie Skane said she first found out that her two young teens were eligible for the coronavirus vaccine she admitted she wasn't sure how she felt about the siblings getting the shots.

When she brought Taylor, 13, and Jackson, 15, to the Danvers DoubleTree Hotel mass vaccination site for their Monday appointment, however, she said she was overwhelmed by all the students their age lined up the first week they were eligible for the vaccinations.

"I mentioned to the nurse I was pleasantly surprised at how many kids were there getting their shots and she said: 'You should have seen it Saturday and Sunday,'" Skane told Patch, adding that the vaccinations "could not have been smoother."

Skane said that while she was vaccinated last month, she hesitated when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 12 years old to make Taylor and Jackson an appointment right away.

"I was a little on the fence as to whether or not I should vaccinate my kids," she said. "When I told Jackson and Taylor about my hesitation, they were shocked. They both stressed their desire to help keep others safe and asked me to schedule their appointments immediately."

She said the only reason they waited until Monday was because she did not want Taylor to have a sore arm for a dance competition this weekend.

"They had no side effects other than a sore arm for a bit but that was gone by today," Skane told Patch on Tuesday. "Once they are fully vaccinated, they are looking forward to having sleepovers with friends who will also be fully vaccinated, going on vacation this summer to Maine and Vermont, and hopefully going to school with no masks in the fall."

The Skanes said Jackson, who has autism, and Taylor have been very close their entire lives and share a love of dancing. Jackson attends Essex Tech, while Taylor will go there in the fall after she graduates from Holten Richmond Middle School.

They are competitive dancers at the North Shore Dance Academy, take classes at Refine Dance Studio and attend art classes at the Danvers Art Association.

Jackson also speaks at Autism Support Center events for the Northeast Arc and is on the Parent & Patient Advisory Council for Tufts New England Medical Center. Taylor runs the Instagram business Book Buddies by Tay and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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