Tougher school vaccine rule proposed
A new bill proposed would require the vaccine for all students only allowing for a medical exemption and no personal belief exemption. This bill is a lot stricter than the current vaccine mandate put in place by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
California state Senator Richard Pan states: “Vaccination is the cornerstone of ensuring our schools will be open,” and explains that those who refuse to vaccinate will need to use other forms of schooling for their children like homeschooling.
Many parents and students are protesting this bill believing they should be allowed to choose what is best for them and their families.
“In public places such as a store, club, restaurant, etc, it is fair for the owner to make it a rule to require a mask or to have a proof of vaccination card to participate or go on their property,” said junior Stanley Sheehan. “It is to the person themselves to decide whether they want to get the vaccination or not. Even during a pandemic where cases can increase very quickly, it is still not right to force someone to get a vaccination.”
Others believe it is in the best interest of everyone to require the vaccine for all because it will help stop the spread if everyone does their part.
“Some would argue that it’s unethical to enforce a mandate without the exemption of personal beliefs as it would be an infringement on personal freedoms. However, I believe, especially during a health crisis, everyone is entitled to the right to being protected from disease. With that right comes the responsibility of each person getting vaccinated, such as through a mandate, so as to ensure that one person’s decision doesn’t risk the lives of others and threaten everybody’s right to be healthy,” stated Medical Students Association (MSA) President Hani Liu.
This bill also raises new questions about how the mandate will be enforced and how the bill will address future booster shots.
I am excited to hear that this bill will be proposed, it will make coming to school with some people not wearing masks feel much safer. Without the mask mandate at school, you never know if some of the people around you without their masks are vaccinated or not, and this will relieve those stresses.
It’s good that this rule is being proposed and I think it should pass. There are people in 3rd world countries that will travel incredibly long distances and sacrifice a lot just to get a vaccine, and people who are refusing to get vaccinated are incredibly privileged and misguided, and this proposal would push those people in the right direction.
I feel like the new vaccine bill was a good idea. Since the mask mandate was lifted, it means most or some people have started to not wear masks. So, this means it is more important to get the vaccine because it will protect us.
I’m glad that the schools are making vaccines more required for the students and staff, because that would make us more safe and could lead us the coronavirus less of a worry.
I think it is very good that vaccines would be required through this bill. Especially with the mask mandate being lifted across California, vaccinations will be what protects us. No, vaccines don’t stop the virus one hundred percent but they make it a lot less horrible and keep hospitals less packed.
I’m glad that its gonna be enforced. Its safe and proven effective. The only thing keeping people from doing this is the politics and negative connotation that comes with putting things in your body. It would be nice for things to go back to basically normal if everyone got on the same page.
It’s good idea to make vaccine mandates at schools stricter. It’s super important for as many people to get vaccinated if possible to try and lower the number of cases.
I think it’s good that vaccines will start to be required. We already have to have a lot of vaccines in order to come to school and I don’t see a problem with adding this one too. If it makes school safer for everyone it’s a good idea.
Personally, I am glad that vaccinations are being required. I know that there are a lot of people who are very against them, but at the end of the day, vaccinations are backed by science. There is a lot of data that has shown that those with vaccinations have had better chances of fighting the virus and having milder symptoms. Vaccinations requirements aren’t exactly new, I think that people are just resistant because this specific vaccination is new, but Covid isn’t going away, so it is better to get protected and not have the threat of severe illness later.