After the FDA’s full authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine for middle school and high school ages, California students will be required to be vaccinated for in-person learning beginning in the 2022-23 school year, Governor Gavin Newsom announced. The Union interviewed MHS students to get their opinion on this upcoming change.
Two students in MHS were willing to come up and speak about their personal experiences about why they haven’t taken the vaccine and how their lives will be affected if and when the mandate does take action. One of these students was a senior Anthony, who is unvaccinated due to medical reasons.
“I’m not vaccinated because the vaccine holds more risks for me due to previous medical conditions as well as the medication I’m on right now. I’m personally against the mandate,” Anthony said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to mandate a new, experimental vaccine with no long term studies on side effects and complications, and make it a required immunization for children. This vaccine, statistically speaking, carries the highest risks of death and serious health problems when compared to other common immunizations, such as the polio or flu vaccines.”
As a senior, Anthony said college is an important factor to him. He hopes the mandate is repealed by the time he decides which college he would like to attend, Anthony said. But if the mandate does stay the same, his only option would be to go to college outside of California to avoid the law and keep himself comfortable, he said. He believes online school is his last resort, he said.
Anthony continued to open up about his personal opinion and feelings, saying, “People can choose to not interact with me. If someone acted that way, I would probably be sad, but I’m not going to argue with them and demand that they be my friend. Basically, it just comes down to freedom of choice. I believe that people should have the freedom to make choices and decide what’s best for themselves. If you think getting vaccinated is the best decision for you, go ahead. I won’t hate on you for existing and making decisions. I don’t particularly care if people know that I’m not vaccinated because it’s my choice.”
Another male MHS student who chose to remain anonymous, spoke out on his background from not taking the vaccine and how he feels about the new mandate taking action. This student comes from a very athletic and health conscious background.
“Getting the least amount of vaccines is objectively good because natural immunity is better than a vaccine.,” the student said in an interview.“We’ve always gotten our flu shot and we’ve always gotten all of our vaccines, but this vaccine came out very fast. I don’t trust our government that much.”
This student said he believed he had already gotten COVID-19 during the quarantine period and had faith in his immune system to not have it again. The student said his decisions won’t affect his opinions about anyone else’s vaccination status. The student said he is unsure about what to do because of his college goals.
“So like there’s a college that I was contacting[…]I was going to do an official visit with them. But they said since I was unvaccinated, I couldn’t come in. I don’t know if I get to play…on college campus if I have to be vaccinated, but I have to. I just might even get vaccinated.” He then further explains his dilemma saying “I don’t really they’ll let me play. They’re like, I don’t think they’ll let me get it.”
The student has a relative who is currently at a college in california and doesn’t have the vaccine, getting a religious exemption for not taking the vaccine. The student believes if he were to go to college in the state he would get some sort of pass for not taking the vaccine if it comes to that situation.
Students should not have their school experience taken away for not being vaccinated, Principal Francis Rojas said in an interview.
“I personally don’t believe that vaccination should take away that student’s right to what’s appropriate for them. I am not a supporter of, ‘Oh, you don’t have the vaccine. So you’re going to be put in a virtual pathway.’ There has to be other options like, then you have to continue to be tested. You know, and we’re only dealing with 100 students out of 3,200.”