Just talked to my daughter. They all got Moderna and she says everyone she knows had some mild symptoms. Mainly fatigue, one with fever. My D woke up the next day with chills and didn’t feel great but it went away by the afternoon. I’m a little worried about what the 2nd dose will do to her, especially considering she’ll be right in the middle of a semester. I hope with about 1/4 of the undergrads dealing with it, they will be somewhat understanding.
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This is something I worry about: if and when my D21 gets the vaccine, I’m hoping it’s not right before or during her finals because of the potential it has for making her feel terrible for a day or two either with the first or the second dose. I guess we don’t have a whole lot of control over this, though, so we just wait and see…
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Because the Covid vaccines are so effective (100% effective at preventing severe disease), it doesn’t matter to me whether my daughter’s college makes them mandatory or not. As long as she is vaccinated, she’ll be fine.
If we get more data, for example that vaccinated people can get long Covid or something like that, I would change my mind.
We are incredibly lucky to have such effective vaccines. Scientists are also working on an umbrella coronavirus vaccine that would protect against all variations.
It’s really hard to wait to get the vaccine while knowing that at least 30% of healthcare workers at our local hospital have refused it and the doses are sitting in the hospital’s deep freezers. I need to go meditate!
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That’s my whole point though, as it relates to vaccines being required or not. There has been a lot of discussion about that here. From what you just pointed out, it doesn’t really matter, right? Assuming the vaccine is available, students who want it can get it. Those who don’t, do so at their own risk.
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I had a friend whose entire family members didn’t get flu shot for years. However, in one winter, one of her sons suddenly got high fever while he was at his school, then his school called an ambulance, then an ambulance needed to take him to ICU. He had a flu and my friend got a bill of $2900 later. Since then, her entire family members take flu shots every year and are now waiting for COVID shots.
Are those health insurances out there still covering all COVID treatment costs?? And if so, how long will it continue? I read some articles that a local COVID patient received huge bills. If people know that there are possibility of big bills if they needed to be treated at hospital, they may want to get COVID vaccines.
About college kids, I can imagine many colleges can enforce / strongly recommend COVID vaccinations, especially to athletes, certain programs / labs / performance major students.
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Right. I do care in general whether people get vaccinated for basic humanitarian reasons. Unvaccinated people who get reinfected multiple times are likely incubators for new strains which can better evade the immune system, and potentially the vaccine. Virologists think this is most likely if the person is unvaccinated person is immune-suppressed or immune-compromised. So, for the sake of those around the world who won’t have vaccine yet, and for the sake of the scientists rushing to stay ahead of variations, I hope everyone who has the opportunity will get vaccinated.
But whether their college makes it mandatory or not won’t affect my daughters, as long as everyone has the opportunity.
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That sounds good, and I get your point, but if a high proportion of people aren’t vaccinated there will be circulating covid…which could keep some colleges/businesses/events from running with any type of normalcy.
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I think a very high percentage of 65+ people and high-risk people, especially on college campuses, will get vaccinated. Two weeks after their second dose, or seven weeks after the J&J single dose, they are fully protected. Light at the end of so much suffering. Here comes the sun 
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I just saw on U of Md’s Facebook page that since there is a “significant and increasing and significant increase in COVID cases on and around our campus” they are instituting tighter measures, and will take further action if things don’t improve. I’d imagine there’s NO chance now of our on campus tour. 
I do appreciate seeing their vigilance but worry even now about my son’s prospects for the Fall for choosing a college with the best chance of successful live instruction.
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MD hat on: It is true we need as many to get it as possible. the vaccine is very good, but there are always(with this one small)% who do not respond at ALL to an immunization. So they are protected best when a high % of the surrounding group gets the vaccine(or has had disease). So 5-10% not getting it (from other vaccine data) is not likely significant , but 25% who refuse? could be an issue–definitely keeps those (unknown)non-responders more at risk. Some good news: vaccine hesitancy with this one seems to be(in health care workers) just that–hesitancy: folks aren’t ready to get it yet, particularly younger. We have already seen a nice increase in vaccinations in the initial group who said hmmm not yet.
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My daughter is a freshman at Wisconsin. Her team is practicing, they have a plan and schedule for competition this spring. She is a member of the marketing club which is virtual now, but hopes to meet in person in early spring as the weather improves. I am happy that the school is optimistic in regards to the Fall. She is making the most out of what she can do. She is the first to admit she is fortunate to be part of a team.
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In non-vaccine news: Ivy League cancels spring sports:
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There’re reasons to believe that there’s a lower proportion of college students who are hesitant to be vaccinated than the population at large. Moreover, many of those who are hesitant now, especially college students, will likely change their minds when they realize how difficult their lives would be without vaccination due to all sorts of restrictions (such as travel).
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Ugh!!!
After vaccine general availability, couldn’t a college (or business) say that “we are reopening to normal pre-COVID-19 operations; voluntary vaccine refusers can take their own chances”, since the vaccines provide a way for others to largely avoid the involuntary risk that would get forced on them before vaccines are available?
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That’s how I imagine it going…
We are a little concerned how things will go on my daughters campus this spring since about 1/4 of students received their first vaccine this week but the rest of the population did not and no one knows when that might happen. It will likely be some time until the state prioritizes college students. While this will help control outbreaks on campus, I’m concerned it will be difficult to convince those who are vaccinated to continue to follow mask, gather size and distancing rules.
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Yes. You could look at vaccines like masks - they can protect you and they protect other people from being infected by you. A vaccinated person is protected from getting sick with COVID. An unvaccinated person runs the risk of contracting COVID (hurts themselves) PLUS if they get sick or asymptomatically shed virus, then that unvaccinated person can spread it to others - to people who have not been able to get the vaccine for whatever reason not of their own fault. So a person who chooses not to vaccinate, risks not just their own health, but presents a danger to others. ** I saw this with the caveat that I realize there’s some science that vaccinated people could potentially be infectious but that’s not proven
Actually, it is that the vaccine trials have not checked for effect on asymptomatic transmission, so that aspect is currently unknown, although it is being studied.
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Yes, I am very interested in the new studies. My very unscientific guess and I may be proved wrong by the studies, the vaccinated person might shed insignificant enough virus, it is not transmittable. My point being there is still a benefit to self and others by being vaccinated.
Well, in contrast to all the doom & gloom, I just read a Forbes article about vaccine distribution and it said that by June anyone who wants a vaccine will be able to get one. Good news! Let’s hope it’s accurate. If so, no reason why the Fall semester can’t be back to normal.
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