You're listening to shortwave from NPR.

Hey everybody, I'm Ping Huang, Health Reporter here at NPR.

And I'm Rebecca Ramirez, a shortwave producer.

And today we're talking with teenagers about the COVID-19 vaccine,

which has been on our minds because hashtag the youth

between 12 to 17 years old have been eligible to get the Pfizer vaccine

since mid May. But just one out of every three teens and pre-teens has gotten it.

So we went to the Latin American Youth Center here in Washington, DC's Columbia Heights neighborhood

to talk with teens about vaccines and the strange pandemic year they've had.

Are you Ryan? Yes.

Hi, how are you? I'm Patricia.

This is Rebecca Ramirez.

Hi, Ping.

The teens that we talked with were really well informed.

They told us what they're hearing on social media,

how they're talking with their friends and families about vaccines,

and also the toll that the pandemic has taken on them and on the teens around them.

So this episode of shortwave is that perspectives from three teens about why they are

and aren't getting vaccines. And we'll answer some of their questions about it.

Okay, so the first teen I want to introduce is Ryan Howard.

I'm Ryan. I'm 16. I go to August Wilson High School.

And Ryan is in the minority. He's super enthusiastic about vaccines.

...