Sorry, but that is a very naive Pediatrician. Flu deaths and serious illness in Peds icus are commonplace in med school and residency. That’s very hard to understand how they would have forgotten that part of training. Every pediatrician I know recommends the Flu vaccine in children, because itdoes decrease risk of hospitalization and death.
from Tufts:
How is the university identifying unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff? Do they have to wear masks at all times?
It would be a violation of the university’s values and federal law to publicly identify unvaccinated individuals. Such medical information is confidential and protected. All individuals on campus should wear masks while indoors in community settings, including classrooms, studios, laboratories, libraries, dining facilities (when not actually eating), lounges, common rooms, and hallways. Unvaccinated individuals are recommended to wear masks and practice social distancing as much as possible when in public spaces and should follow the CDC’s guidance for unvaccinated people.
Note that Tufts has a medical school, so it may be subject to HIPAA or other regulations as a health care provider compared to colleges generally.
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There is no hipaa if the student volunteer the information. You can ask anything you want to. But if the schools mandates vaccines proof then problem solved. Also when paired the student can ask another student anything.
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Students who attend SUNY schools will have to be vaccinated before they arrive on campus (if the vaccines receive FDA approval by then) unless they have a medical or religious exemption. Students who want to dorm have to be vaccinated (even if the FDA approval isn’t complete yet). All students who want to eat in the dining hall must be vaccinated (those with exemptions have to get take out).
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We shouldn’t be asking vaccinated students to mask just because unvaccinated ones might not follow rules. Many college that are mandating vaccines already came out earlier this summer and said no masks for fall because they are mandating the vaccine and will have very high compliance. Did these schools not think about what they would ask of unvaccinated students? Colgate has only said (back in May) that unvaccinated students will have to test once a week and vaccinated students will not test. No mention of masks. Bowdoin has said no masks and are doing that right now this summer too. They’ve given no info on testing.
Most fall bills are due here in the next couple of weeks. Colleges should get their plans out before the bills are due. I, for one, would like to know what we are paying for.
And, if everyone is wearing masks, what else is a change? How will they deal with visitors? Colgate and Bowdoin planning full on family weekends and spectators allowed for sports. Are they even thinking about making changes to that. At the very least, colleges should be making statements as to what they are thinking about re: Covid and how and when they are planning on making decisions.
Like those SUNY plans. The whole deal is this - we don’t need to mask vaccinated people. We need a very very high percentage of people to be vaccinated. That’s the answer and schools need to make that happen.
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UMD is requiring vaccines for all students and staff this fall. There are religious and medical exemptions to the policy. Interestingly UMD did not need my child to upload their vaccine status as they got that information directly from Maryland state’s database.
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wonder what they did for out of state students?
They would have to upload proof of their vaccination.
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This is what I was talking about with the HIPAA - I’ve heard attorneys talk about this (publicly identifying unvaccinated students). There’s FERPA too, but I don’t know if vaccination status comes under that?
It might have been mentioned before but I wonder if Tufts’ vaccination rate isn’t looking high enough for them to be comfortable with no masks. I sure hope schools are going to publish what percentage of students/faculty/staff are vaccinated. If there are schools with 90%+ vaccination rates (which there should be, right, if it’s MANDATORY?) that expect masks, I won’t even believe it!
But there will be exemptions so no school will be 100% vaxxed. And sure a student can ask, but the other doesn’t have to answer.
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Don’t you think students who aren’t vaccinated are going to have to face some questions from fellow students, especially if those vaccinated kids have to mask because of the unvaccinated kids? I don’t think I’d want to be an unvaccinated student facing down those Bowdoin kids who seem very serious about vaccination.
I can’t imagine vaxxed students giving nonvaxxed students a hard time. They’ll have gotten either a medical or religious exemption. Idk, my kids didn’t think wearing a mask was that big a deal. I think if students have to do it again this year, most will just go with the flow.
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100% they will. I know if I had a senior this year, we would definitely be having that discussion. I also know my son factored that in when picking a roommate. It was important to him that his roommate had similar values as him when it came to the vaccine and masks and behavior about the virus in general. The vaccine wasn’t required at the time for any student. Ultimately it became required of anyone living in dorms but he already matched successfully in that regard with someone that shared those values. They may not match in other areas, but at least here they do.
If we were starting this process and had a list that included schools not mandating the vaccine that would be alarming as I already have a student in that scenario and it’s really not a great situation. Another no would be a school that doesn’t let the student choose roommates in advance considering these issues, but not only that, but much of the hostile nature going on both religiously and politically these days on college campuses.
@taverngirl Agree with you that I don’t think vaxxed wil give unvaxxed a hard time other than just trying to give them the reasons and benefits as to why they should get vaccinated, but sometimes you just can’t reason with people who are set in their ways. We’ve all seen it whether it’s on FB or with people we know or whatever. They’ve dug their heels in and only a mandate is going to change them. Schools are also not just going to accept religious exemptions because someone says “hey I have a religious exemption”. Many will have to show a history of it or actual evidence of needing a religious exemption. Some may just take it for their word, but not all. But ultimatey, while kids don’t want to put the masks back on, I really don’t think they care. We just had this discussion in my house yesterday and mine said it’s not a big deal. They’re not in classes 8 hours straight. But even if they were, then they would wear them. I’m used to that and it’s honestly not terrible. I would do it to be safe and not be a carrier to someone who is less immune as well.
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Exemptions aren’t spelled out at all schools. Who knows how lenient a school will be. Bowdoin has said no religious or philosophical exemptions. Just medical.
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Do you think unvaccinated students with exemptions should have to wear masks if that’s what their college rules are? Even if vaccinated students don’t have to(which currently is the science and follows CDC guidelines)?
Yes, absolutely. Well, assuming the school requires it.
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Also, there were definitely students, on Bowdoin’s campus at least, who were very outspoken about masking and played police with other students. Taking photos of them, doing what they could do get kids in trouble if they broke a masking rule even for a few minutes. I don’t doubt that those people would be trying to do it again and call out unvaccinated kids if Bowdoin’s vaccine exemption rules were not so strict. It shouldn’t be a problem there since we know they will be medical excuses. On other campuses? There absolutely will be kids who will be upset with unvaccinated students who don’t have a medical excuse. Our D was totally on her friends to get vaccinated. Furious when kids wouldn’t when it was maybe going to mean no grad ceremony etc.