Across college campuses, there are discussions about the ethics of whether or not the COVID-19 vaccine should be required to attend in-person classes. This is a no brainer, schools must mandate a vaccine, after over a year of restrictions, shut-downs and the loss of three semesters to COVID-19.
There are no good arguments against healthy college students getting vaccinated. Sure, it sucks to get stuck with a needle and experience some potentially rough side effects, but for college students, the side effects like fatigue, headaches and light fevers are probably easier than the day after Parade Day or a typical Sunday morning, especially compared to the full force of COVID-19. It is idiotic to fear the vaccine hangover.
Even fears of the vaccine based on it being new or underdeveloped are unfounded and just plain stupid, based off what most people purposefully put into their bodies every day (looking at you, McDonald’s and Puff Bars). A researched, incredibly well-funded vaccine with very transparent information and data is probably not going to make you any more at-risk of being infertile than the birth control you take every day. With Johnson & Johnson being halted due to blood clots in six women out of 6.8 million doses, according to an article by NPR, the vaccine is not some government drone meant to sterilize the population.
Colleges already require vaccinations, except in specific extraneous circumstances. SUNY Oswego, according to the Mary Walker Health Center website, requires the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination. While the meningitis vaccine is not required, a student must have it in writing that they do not have and will not get the vaccine. SUNY Oswego also recommends getting six other vaccinations before attending, like Gardasil and Hepatitis.
A vaccination against the virus that has sent every country into a social and economic freefall is a drop in the bucket compared to not only the chemicals people willingly put into their bodies in the forms of drugs, alcohol and regular foods but also compared to the vaccinations 90% of people already have.
Unfortunately, even a fully vaccinated campus probably will not mean a 100% “normal” fall semester. While some Oswego spots are slowly returning to their old ways, like the bar The Ferris Wheel, the college probably will not be 100% back until at least the spring and realistically the following fall semester. An increase in on-campus events like hockey games or even a regular gym would be great, but it is not realistic, despite what the current administration says.
One realistic expectation for the fall semester is weekly COVID-19 testing, but that is a good thing. Although it is a bit of a drag going to Lee Hall, especially for those that live off-campus, it caught COVID-19 infections before more people could be infected. Without weekly COVID-19 testing, there is no doubt that SUNY Oswego would be in far worse shape than it is, especially with off-campus partying and how busy local bars are.
The COVID-19 vaccine, and SUNY Oswego testing, are not your enemy. Getting vaccinated and requiring a vaccination will not only give a better college experience but more importantly save lives. Based on data from the many researchers focused on COVID-19, vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna have an over 95% success rate in stopping hospitalizations. A tiny prick and a bit of a rough week is a small price to pay for the slowing of COVID-19 and the return to normalcy.
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