As new Covid-19 vaccines are researched and administered, many wonder if schools should start mandating them for students. Covid has taken over the world for over two years now and it is still difficult to get people to wear masks and to get vaccinated. The vaccine has been out for around a year, is it really that different from other vaccines that other students are required to have in public school?

“Since there is no mask mandate right now I feel like vaccinations are definitely needed,” junior Lexi Shellhammer said. “It should definitely be mandated, especially for public schools.”

Other students don’t feel the same. 

“I know a lot of students have immunity especially after the new virus and this month that it just feels unnecessary to some individuals sometimes,” junior Corinne Rott said. “If you just had Covid the immunity can protect you better.”

People’s opinions vary widely on the subject of the vaccines, and whether they really are worth it.

“I don’t really see any disadvantages, the only thing that I would say is “bad” about the vaccine is the symptoms you can get after the shot,” Shellhammer said.

  Others, though, do see some disadvantages. 

“The disadvantages would be for those who it goes against their parents wishes, the parents would be mad, and the students who didn’t want to get it might get mad, or those who are afraid of needles might just have a heart attack,” Rott said. 

Everybody has different reasons on why they decide on whether they chose to get the covid vaccine.

“I have an extreme fear of needles so I am not vaccinated,” Rott says.

There are different reasons and motives on why some are vaccinated and why some are not.

“I am vaccinated because Covid will never go away if no one gets vaccinated and I feel like if I do my part it is helping other people as well,” Shellhammer said.  

Many see at least one benefit to having the vaccine.

“The benefits definitely outweigh the cons,” Shellhammer says. “I see a benefit in not having to wear masks anymore, of Covid going away, and of cases going down.” 

There is one benefit that people can agree on.

“I guess the benefits would be that everyone is vaccinated and the school is theoretically safer,” Rott said. 

Shellhammer and Rott agree on how students and parents would react if the vaccine was to be mandated.

“Violently.” Rott said. “The students would probably turn violent and the vandalism that already occurs would probably get worse. When people get mad they tend to vandalize or if they’re parents they sue.”

Shellhammer agrees that the outcome would probably not be very good, “literally World War 3 would happen.”

The vaccine for Covid-19 is still a widely taboo subject, and it will probably be a long time before getting one will be enforced, but some hold out hope.

“If you don’t have the vaccine, you are not allowed to complain about mask mandates, you are not allowed to complain about schools going back online, you are not allowed to complain about anything that Covid affects if you do not have the vaccine or you do not wear the mask,” Shellhammer said.