COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Words like "experiment" and "test dummies" -- those are phrases that one high school student says his peers use when it comes to the coronavirus vaccine.
His mission is to encourage others in his community to consider getting the shot.
The idea is seeing is believing. That's why 17-year-old Daizhon Cox came to the Schottenstein Center: he wants to lead by example.
One shot down, one to go.
Daizhon Cox initially hesitated over his decision to get the vaccine.
"For me, some of my friends were saying that some of their parents aren’t going to allow them to get it just because the government wants to use them as research, you know, as practice," he explained.
Cox says social media is influencing his peers.
"I also saw the meme that said, 'well somebody said I got the shot, and then I did some research.' Then it said. 'you didn’t do any research -- you are the research.' So I want to be an example. Not only for myself, and not only for the youth, but also for the Black community, our community, that the shot is safe," he explained.
Pfizer is the only coronavirus vaccine approved for kids 16 or older.
Cox, at age 17, needed permission from his grandmother to get that first dose.
"I’m seeing him exercise his independence," said Roberta Cox, who described the pros and cons with him. "He’s getting older so I’m seeing his maturity come in, and I was very pleased to know that he cared enough about his health to want to even have the conversation."
Cox is a Columbus City Schools student, and sought an appointment on his own. He says it was important for him to get it now, especially since he's hoping for school to be in person five days each week in the autumn.
"That way I can knock it out the park — you know now. I’m still going to wearing my mask, still going to social distance, but now I know: 'hey I’m safe' and I can’t wait to get that second dose."
Part of the reason he chose to get that shot in the arm is because he's heavily involved in sports.
"I want to be safe, you know, because I love playing sports and I never want it to come to a time where, you know, I can’t play a sport due to me having COVID or somebody else having COVID," he said.
