To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate
First things first, how many college students are actually planning on getting the vaccine? To find out, we asked them. Keep reading to see not only how many students are planning on vaccination but also how these numbers change based on political affiliation.;
Now that states are opening vaccine eligibility to young people, many college students are able to take the important step of scheduling a vaccine shot. Our survey revealed nearly 9 in 10 will take the vaccine once it becomes available to them with only 4% opting out. Among respondents, Pfizer came out as the most preferred vaccine, followed by Moderna.
Unsurprisingly, politics play a vital role in how people perceive vaccines. According CBS News, almost 1 in 3 Republicans definitely wont get vaccinated. However, according to the survey, only 16.3% of Republican college students admitted they would refuse the vaccine, while roughly 58% said they plan on receiving it.
On the flip side, 94% of Democratic respondents said they would take the vaccine, with a minuscule 2.2% refusing. Independents fell in the middle of this debate with a slight lean toward the Democratic side of things: 8 in 10 affirmed they would get vaccinated.
General distrust toward vaccines stems from skepticism surrounding their creation, particularly due to the rapid rate at which the COVID-19 vaccines were developed. In fact, according to another survey, young people are more likely to distrust COVID-19 vaccines than older generations.;
A Vaccine Incentive Program Saved One College Money
Missouri State University is offering about $150,000 in prizes to vaccinated students. Those who get the shot have a chance to win free housing, free tuition and free parking, among other things.
The cost of the prizes will be covered by private donations, says David Hall, director of university safety. The awards are a financial dream for many students and, in some ways, for the university too.
“It reduces the need for testing and reduces the need for our COVID housing,” Hall explains. “This actually is saving the university money, in addition to the benefits that we’re getting to the students.”
Missouri State is based in Greene County, a conservative area that voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. Hall was concerned about how the program would be received by the college’s surrounding community, but he says he hasn’t heard much criticism.
“There’s an understanding of the economics of this and how it makes good financial sense,” he explains. “We’ve not seen any significant pushback politically, even though we do live in a very conservative area.”
What About Children In K
That can depend on whether the child is in a public or private school. While children ages 12 to 17 are now eligible for the vaccine, and its likely that younger children will become eligible this fall, its not a requirement for attending a public K-12 school anywhere in the country.
Private schools, along with day care centers and camps, can decide whether to require their students to get a vaccine or not.
Most children already receive routine vaccinations for other diseases, like tetanus, polio and chickenpox, to fulfill school enrollment requirements. So a state-level requirement for a Covid vaccine in the future is a possibility.
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Immunization;by vaccination;is a safe and effective way of preventing illness caused by infectious diseases.;The COVID-19 vaccines are intended to protect you and those around you from developing COVID-19, and to make your symptoms milder if you are infected.;;
As we move towards widespread, lasting control of COVID-19 through safe and effective vaccines, it is essential for everyone in Canada to continue following public health recommendations to prevent further spread.;;
Humber recognizes that vaccination is a critical component of the overall public health response to the Pandemic and will be introducing a new COVID-19 vaccination policy, effective for the fall term.
Everyone, including those vaccinated,;should;continue physical distancing, practice frequent hand hygiene,;wear face masks,;and follow any additional measures laid out by public health authorities.;;
Additional information;about vaccinations can be found;from;official;sources, including the;Public Health Agency of Canada,;Ontario Government;and the;City of Toronto.;;
Free vaccines will be available to everyone in Canada throughout 2021.
Where to Get Vaccinated
You can book a vaccination appointment and find locations where vaccinations are available on covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine. There are also pharmacies close Humber Campuses and locations that offer vaccines, including:;
Where to get tested for COVID-19
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Are Mandates The Best Way To Ensure Children Get Vaccinated
Whether or not they are legally permissible, some medical ethicists question if mandates would be the most effect way to encourage parents to vaccinate their children.
For one thing, children are less likely to contract severe illness from COVID-19 than adults. And some parents who are reluctant to be first in line for shots may not be so resistant if health officials handle their concerns thoughtfully and respectfully.
Theres also the logistical concern of getting millions of children through a two-dose vaccine regimen during the summer months at a time when school officials are already concerned about losing students who became disengaged during remote learning. Public health officials are also concerned that students have fallen behind on other routine shots during the pandemic, which could be a barrier to attendance in the fall if not quickly addressed.
Recognizing the need to build trust, President Joe Biden has said his administration will work with school-based health clinics and make vaccines available at pediatricians offices, rather than just at impersonal mass clinics. And some school districts have begun offering vaccine clinics for students.
States may eventually add COVID-19 vaccines to their school requirements in future years, but encouragement may be a stronger public health tool this year, Reiss said.
An attempt to mandate may push into the arms of the anti-vaccine movement, she said.
Students Organisations Have Urged The Government To Prioritise Them In The Drive As Academic Calendar Needs To Get Back On Track
Amid fears that a potential third wave of COVID-19 will put children at risk, colleges and universities want students who are 18 years and above to be fully vaccinated before physical classes resume. With this in mind, many colleges have already started holding vaccination camps for eligible students and staff members.
Others, such as Bangalore University , are in the process of organising vaccination drives. We have written to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike about this. As there is talk of a third wave of COVID-19, our students should take all the precautions possible. We want to get the academic calendar, which has been thrown out of gear at the moment, back on track said K.R. Venugopal, Vice-Chancellor of BU.
Meghana V., a postgraduate student of Christ , said that earlier this week the universitys alumni association conducted a vaccination drive for students, staff, and alumni.
While private colleges and universities are asking students to pay for the dose, State-run universities and government colleges are depending on either the BBMP or various NGOs to provide the vaccines for free or to sponsor the doses.
NGOs chip in
Students organisations such as the All-India Democratic Students Organisation have appealed to the State government to ensure that physical classes or examinations are conducted only after all the students are fully vaccinated. Students are also urging the government to take up a large-scale drive to vaccinate them on priority.
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Virginia College Students React To Possible Covid Vaccine Mandate
- May 1, 2021
Some colleges are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for students, but others have yet to make a decision.
Virginia colleges are beginning to announce mandatory fall COVID-19 vaccine policies following the state attorney general’s opinion that higher education institutes can require the vaccine.
Virginia public colleges and universities can mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for faculty and students returning to campus this fall, Attorney General Mark Herring stated in late April.
Virginias college and university students deserve the chance to go to classes in-person and take advantage of all that their schools have to offer, but over the past year we have seen numerous COVID outbreaks on school campuses, so we must make sure that they are doing so with the health and safety of their peers and communities in mind, Herring stated.
School leaders questioned the legality of mandating the COVID-19 vaccine because the vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use. That means people must be given the choice to take it and be informed of the consequences if they don’t, Lisa Lee, professor of public health at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, told Capital News Service before Herring issued his statement.
Currently, Virginia colleges already request documentation that a student was vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and mumps.
Chalfant said she prioritized the vaccine to protect her mother who is considered high risk.
What Are The Exemption Rules
Because of the efficacy of the vaccine and underlying health factors being a possible risk, there are valid, legitimate cases for exemption. This can include medical conditions, religious or philosophical objections. For students who do not want to take the vaccine if mandated by a college or university they are attending, schools may face a decline in enrollment from student transfers. At some point, proof of the vaccine may become a reality but as it stands, there are too many questions and variables involved to make a decision that may impact colleges, universities, and the students they serve.
According to Rupali Limaye at John Hopkins University in Maryland who is an expert in vaccines and public health, it is likely that other methods will be used to control the spread of the virus entering the 2021-2022 school year even if some students and professors have already received the vaccine. In most cases, colleges and universities will have some students who have the vaccine and some who will not. Depending on how things go with the vaccine and stopping the spread, this will give colleges, universities, and their students a better idea of when to expect vaccines to become available and whether they will be required.
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Colleges Universities With Covid Vaccination Mandates Facing Pushback
Hundreds of colleges and universities across the nation are requiring students to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before returning to campuses in the fall, but the mandates may be difficult to enforce fully.
Some schools such as Princeton University are requiring students to be fully vaccinated by Aug. 1, but it’s still unclear how others will manage vaccination and mask mandates or what alternatives to on-campus learning may be offered to students who aren’t inoculated against Covid-19.
A number of colleges contacted by NBC News declined to comment, pointing to their websites for requirements.
There is a lot of vaccine hesitancy, and colleges are places that have a high risk for transmission since people congregate in classrooms and school buildings such as dorms, said Kristin Bratton Nelson, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health.
Most universities wont require students to submit a copy of an official vaccination card as proof, which could make the policies difficult to enforce, said public health expert Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
Can International Students Get The Covid Vaccine In The Us
College students are at the bottom of the totem pole and arent due to receive the vaccine anytime soon unless they are essential workers or have a health condition. As it currently stands, international students will be eligible for the vaccine in the U.S. just like student citizens due to receive the vaccine when the time comes. International students should check the government websites of the states in which they reside to see the specific guidelines for individuals living, working, and studying in the U.S. For these students, they have to decide if they want to receive the vaccine in their home country or in the U.S.
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So What Should I Do If I Want To Attend A University With Vaccine Mandates
Check with the university directly and often. At the end of March, fewer than a dozen universities had vaccine mandates in place. Now, hundreds have adopted these types of rules.
The university should also be able to answer more specific questions about the type of vaccine they’ll require. Some, for example, are accepting vaccines approved in other countries, while others are only accepting FDA-authorized shots.;
More Colleges Say They’ll Require Students To Have Covid
Purdue is among the hundreds of U.S. colleges that are counting on high COVID-19 vaccination rates to keep their campuses safe this fall. Colleges have adopted vaccine mandates, a few are charging students a fee for being unvaccinated and many are hosting vaccine clinics on move-in days. If all that wasn’t enough, countless colleges are also offering flashy rewards to encourage students and faculty to get their shots.
At West Virginia University, students and employees who submitted proof of vaccination were entered in a raffle for a chance to win laptops, $250 gift certificates for Chick-fil-A and a free zip-lining session on the school’s course. At Ohio University, prizes included a one-hour fall photoshoot, dinner with the men’s basketball coach, a VIP ride in the school’s homecoming parade and a drink named after the winner at an on-campus coffee shop.
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Sciencesuperspreader ‘explosions’ Plague Efforts To Curb Pandemic
This is a challenge all schools with mandates will face: How will exemption requests be vetted, and what will the penalties be for falsifying information? The differences between just a handful of schools illustrate how the mandates vary.
Some schools, including Hofstra, have outlined specific health conditions to be medically exempt from the vaccination. Others are vague. University of Connecticut students dont need to have a specific condition to apply for a medical exemption, but must have a health care professional attest that the Covid-19 vaccines would endanger their life or health.
Students at Indiana University are required to be vaccinated by Aug. 1, but can apply for exemptions if they are allergic to any component of the Covid-19 vaccines. They can apply for vaccination deferral if they are pregnant, breastfeeding, immunocompromised or have received monoclonal antibodies specific to Covid-19 in the past 90 days.
Already, Indiana University has received quite a few exemption requests, Chuck Carney, a spokesperson for the school, said in an email.
Medical exemptions and deferrals require a health providers signature. Religious exemptions, which most schools have voluntarily included, are almost always based on the honor system.
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What Happened To Tyler Gilreath
According to Gilreaths mother, he was a healthy and active person as he loved water sports and other activities. Two days after he moved to his dorm at the university, he contracted the disease. He got ill quite fast and developed a sinus and staph infection. Accordingly, it lasted for three weeks before it moved to his brain.
Reports say he developed a brain abscess, and it ruptured while he was in his dorm last week. He was still conscious when he was taken to the hospital, but soon after that, the blood flow to his brain stopped. The hospital staff administered a CAT scan on him, and it showed he had irreversible brain damage. By Tuesday morning this week, he was taken off life support and he died.
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What About Other Businesses Where Youre Just A Customer
It depends on where you live.
A handful of restaurants in major cities like Philadelphia and Los Angeles now require customers show proof of a vaccination. A couple of restaurants and barsin Kansas City are also doing the same. Only some of these places will let customers present a recent negative Covid test instead.
Similar policies are showing up in gyms. Equinox and SoulCycle will require their customers and staff in New York City provide proof of vaccination next month before extending the same requirements to other locations.
Only Two Days Left For Deadline
The July 7 deadline for government degree and aided college students as well as staff to receive at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine is barely two days away, but more than half of those in the 18-44 age group are yet to receive their jab.
According to data provided by the Department of Collegiate Education as on July 3, only 41.16% of the total 5.2 lakh students and staff have been vaccinated.
Given that it is unlikely for the remaining students and staff to get their shot, the government in all likelihood will extend the deadline. Only after students are vaccinated will colleges and universities open their campuses to students. The date for reopening of degree colleges is yet to be finalised.
Around 40.06 % of the total 4.9 lakh students in government and aided colleges have been vaccinated. Among teaching and non-teaching staff, the percentage is higher at 59.79% of the total 29,241.
Pradeep P., commissioner, Department of Collegiate Education, estimated that the number of people who have been vaccinated is higher. These figures include students and staff who were vaccinated in camps conducted by the State government across college campuses. There may be students who got their vaccine from other health facilities outside the drives conducted by colleges. We will ask colleges to collect that data as well so that we get the actual percentage of students and staff who are vaccinated, he said.
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