US Colleges Face Opposition to Vaccination Requirements

 

American colleges are under pressure to protect students against COVID-19 as the new school year is about to start in autumn. The decision on how far to go will depend on legal and political issues as well as the rising infection rates.

Just last week, California State University, the largest four-year public university system in the United States, announced vaccine¹ requirements for all students and employees. Two other major universities, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, also joined the list of colleges with vaccine requirements.

The schools noted² concerns about the highly contagious³ Delta⁴ variant⁵ of the coronavirus as the reason. The announcements came after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended fully⁶ vaccinated⁷ Americans to wear face coverings, or masks, again in areas of rising infections.

Joseph I. Castro is head of the California State University system. He said the increase of cases from the Delta variant is something the school must consider to "maintain the health and well-being⁸ of students, employees and visitors."

Among the 4,000 colleges across the country, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported that about 645 colleges have required vaccinations¹⁰ for students or employees. But they have differing requirements.

Political opposition¹¹ in Republican-led states

In many American states, Republican-led governments have banned vaccine requirements. School leaders face political pressure to limit their anti-virus actions even among students living in crowded spaces. Opponents say the requirements step on personal freedoms.

Some schools have dealt with opposition by offering awards for vaccination⁹, like the chance to win free schooling¹² and computers. They seek to raise student vaccination rates to 80 percent or higher.

And a few have gone against the states' political leaders. Nova Southeastern in Florida is requiring employees to get the shots and Nebraska Wesleyan is requiring vaccinations for its 2,000 students.

Private colleges, however, have more legal space to set their own coronavirus rules. Major private universities with vaccination requirements include Harvard, Yale and Stanford. Several others are Northwestern, Duke and Notre Dame¹³.

Dorit Rubinstein Reiss teaches vaccine law at the University of California. She said the legal question is whether colleges can require COVID-19 vaccines¹⁴ while they remain under federal emergency use permission.

Reiss said the courts will likely permit university leaders to take such steps to protect student health. But it could be difficult for them to go against political leaders who oppose vaccine requirements.

Legal issues across the country

Opponents have gone to federal court to fight against vaccine requirements issued by Indiana University, the University of Connecticut, and the California State system.

In the first ruling among those cases, a judge last month rejected arguments from eight students that Indiana University's requirements violated their constitutional rights to their own bodies.

School officials said it is a "clear path forward" to removing limits on in-person classes and events. A lawyer representing the students asked, "Why are they being targeted for a vaccine that older people aren't required to take even though their risk is enormously greater?"

Purdue University is another major university in the state of Indiana. The school does not require vaccinations. However, it is telling those without a record of vaccination that they could face weekly COVID-19 tests.

Some schools cannot require vaccines for employees because of state laws or working agreements. Universities also permit exceptions to those with religious and medical reasons. But students and employees will have to go through COVID-19 tests and wear face coverings in public areas.

Michael Huey is the temporary head of the American College Health Association. In April, the organization suggested a vaccine requirement for all students taking in-person classes.

Huey said if colleges cannot require vaccination, a record of vaccination, required testing, or other safety measures, like face coverings, "it can't be safe."

Rachel "Rae" Applegate is coming to Notre Dame this autumn. Applegate was vaccinated this summer. She feared a greater risk of COVID-19 exposure at school than at home in Evansville, Indiana.

"I can understand people's concerns about not wanting to be told what to do, but to me, this (getting vaccinated) just makes sense," Applegate said. "don't we all want to be as safe as possible?"

Words in This Story

contagious – adj. able to be passed from one person or animal to another

variant – n. something that is different in some way from others of the same kind

mask – n. a covering for your face or for part of your face

maintain – v. to cause (something) to exist or continue without changing

enormously – adv. very great in size or amount

1 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

8 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

9 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

10 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 schooling   

n.教育；正规学校教育

参考例句：

• A child's access to schooling varies greatly from area to area.孩子获得学校教育的机会因地区不同而大相径庭。
• Backward children need a special kind of schooling.天赋差的孩子需要特殊的教育。

13 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

14 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。