College students deserve the vaccine

Students and young adults seek COVID-19 vaccinations. Photo courtesy of aamc.org

Over the course of the past year COVID-19 has become a force to be reckoned with.  It has claimed the lives of more than half a million Americans and it continues to kill more than a thousand of us daily.

Now, as many of us have overcome doubt toward seeking vaccinations, they’ve finally arrived — but only for some.

Administering the COVID-19 vaccinations was initially limited to health care workers, health facilities and those 65 and older. It has since been expanded to make teachers, law enforcement and firefighters age 50 and over eligible for the vaccine.

This leaves a question that needs to be answered: Where and when will college student be able to receive the vaccine?

Many college students, along with young adults between the ages of 18-22, have become weary worrying about their health.

Envee Williams, a Hampton University English major, shared her frustration over not being eligible to be vaccinated.

“I feel as though if colleges are going to require us to be vaccinated in order to return to campus, they need to make the vaccine accessible to us,” Williams said.  “I tried to get a vaccine on Saturday because the site [Hampton University] notified the public that people weren’t showing up to their appointment and didn’t want them to go to waste, so I went and was turned down because I was too young.”

Of course, as young adults we understand the high risk many individuals ages 50 and up are prone to. But as the masses of the younger generations return back to campus and rely on work to produce any  income, they should be able to seek some type of balance in ensuring their health remains intact.

Social distancing and mask mandates tend to go only so far for individuals constantly surrounded by multitudes of others.

D’Arya Simmons also acknowledges the fact of first priority vaccinations, yet would appreciate it if  college students could be included. She says that those willing to participate in being vaccinated should receive vaccinations next.

“I think vaccines should be administered to those that are high risk and then become more inclusive depending on supply,” Simmons said.

According to Best Colleges, “Most college students will wait until at least April, when, Dr. Anthony Fauci says, everyone who wants the vaccine will be able to receive one. That said, vaccine distribution depends on states’ individual rollout plans, and demand has outstripped supply in many areas.”

For now, though, it appears that COVID-19 vaccinations will continue to leave the younger generation on edge, but help will eventually come.