I have always been an allergy kid. I was never able to have cake at a birthday party or eat the delicious pastries displayed in a bakery, but my allergies also affected my ability to get a flu shot. I would have to rely on the people around me to get a vaccine so I wouldn’t contract the virus. In today’s world, I think this topic is extremely important considering our district is moving forward and returning to school with the possibility of merging cohorts together. This leads me to the question, should a Coronavirus vaccine be required in schools? 

The Center for Disease Control has been working on an effective vaccine since early March when the virus was first declared as a global pandemic. Through experimentation as well as trial and error, the CDC has discovered a formula that could be released to the public this December that will be the “largest-scale vaccination distribution effort ever undertaken in the United States.” An interim playbook, provided by the CDC, has three phases which show how the vaccine will likely be dispensed to mass populations. 

Across the country, schools have been shutting down (again) due to the spike of cases. Wayne Valley included, which as of December 4, has officially been closed until at least January 19th, 2021. Once the Wayne Board of Education starts to figure out how we will be attending school normally, they might make decisions regarding the vaccine without even considering the factors that influence one’s ability to get the shot. Religious beliefs, allergies, a disability, perception of healthcare, or even just lifestyle in general, are things that must be acknowledged before mandating the immunization. Since the vaccine is new to all, chances are, it will not be trusted by parents or students since we do not know the pros, cons, long term effects, or even the full list of ingredients. I’ve even heard it could even upset the growth and development of genes in kids and teenagers so no, I do not think the vaccine should be required in schools until there is another, safer alternative that we know more information about.