With COVID-19 continuing to be a threat to public health, will college students get vaccinated for the flu?

For years, the flu shot has been a part of our yearly routine. With the pandemic still affecting everyday life, many colleges are mandating their students to get vaccinated.

Students in colleges such as Creighton and the University of California must get the Flu shot before they can return for the spring semester according to POLITICO. As of right now, Spring Hill has no change in flu shot protocol. This could become a new norm considering that colleges are trying to avoid large numbers of outbreaks.

The Center for Disease Control recommends everyone get the winter Flu shot to ensure public health. According to the CDC the flu shot is 46% effective, but it still helps prevent a major outbreak. Still, this is not stopping people from protesting.

COVID-19 guidelines have outraged people enough to go out and protest. Making people get vaccinated will not be easy for local governments and as colleges.

According to the CDC, local and state governments can make vaccinations a requirement for school entry. The issue with mandating vaccination is that many people argue that many of the diseases for which we vaccinate are no longer a threat, according to The History of Vaccines. 

 In America, Anti-Vaxxers (those who refuse to get vaccinated or have their children vaccinated) have gained momentum in more recent years.

Part of the idea behind this movement is that children could be highly allergic to certain vaccinations addressed by the CDC. According to The Children’s Health Defense many vaccinations still contain mercury, which is a dangerous chemical for anyone. 

There are many misunderstandings behind the vaccine that can be off-putting for most. For example, many believe that they can get sick from getting vaccinated. Additionally, there is a belief that simply maintaining hygiene can prevent people from getting the flu.

Of course, we must go back to the issue that there is currently a pandemic that is affecting the health of many. On top of COVID-19, the flu can be a big issue for hospitals and clinics considering that both illnesses have nearly the same symptoms.

 The CDC challenges many misconceptions by suggesting that the vaccination itself cannot give you the flu, just side effects, allergic reactions are rare but can be immediately treated and the shot cannot increase one's chances of getting COVID-19.

I believe that vaccinations are an important part of societal evolution. The reason many diseases have been controlled is due to the fact that there have been vaccinations for them. If students have to get Measles, Varicela (chickenpox) and Polio vaccinations, it is because they have been proven to be effective in keeping outbreaks from happening.