American colleges and universities hope to return to pre-COVID life in the fall. Some schools urge students to get the vaccine, but others question whether they should or could legally require it.
Colleges and universities planning to return to face-to-face teaching have launched campaigns to get students vaccinated before the summer.
Universities including Rutgers, Brown, Cornell and Northeastern recently told students they needed to get vaccinated before returning to classes in the fall. They hope to achieve herd immunity among the student population. They believe it would allow them to lift space restrictions.
‘It takes everything away ambiguity as to whether individuals should be vaccinated, ”said Kenneth Henderson. He is the principal of Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
He added that by ensuring that students are vaccinated, the surrounding town or city will tell us that “we take everything with us. appropriate measures. “
Northeastern and other colleges needing shots believe they have the legal right to require students to be vaccinated. It’s not uncommon for colleges to require students to be vaccinated against other illnesses. Last year, a court imposed a flu shot requirement at the University of California.
Leave the decision to students
However, some colleges believe that they cannot legally require vaccinations and leave the decisions to students.
Virginia Tech University officials say they cannot legally require the vaccine because it has not received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has approved only a few vaccines for emergency use in the US
Legal experts say the approval of the COVID-19 emergency vaccines makes a legal claim more likely. And some colleges may not need the vaccine to avoid legal trouble.
Glenn Cohen, a professor at Harvard Law, teaches health and health law bioethicsHe argued that there is no legal reason why colleges should not require vaccinations against COVID-19. It doesn’t matter that the recordings have not received full approval, he said.
The problem is, there is no federal law or court order helping colleges and universities decide how to proceed.
Other legal issues
The biggest problems may arise in states that have already banned or plan to ban vaccination requirements, Cohen said.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis this month banned all companies from requiring anyone to provide proof of vaccination. The order is causing problems for Nova Southeastern University in Florida. It plans to vaccinate students, teachers and professors. The president of the college said he will “respect the laws of our state and all federal guidelines.”
Texas also has a ban on vaccine requirements.
And then there are other problems for schools that need the vaccine. Federal law requires colleges to work with any student who refuses a vaccine for medical or religious reasons. There is also no widely accepted evidence of vaccination papers.
In Northeastern, officials are still deciding whether students will be asked to show some sort of vaccination report or simply be asked if they have been vaccinated.
“We expect students to be honest,” said Henderson.
American colleges are also grappling with what to expect from international students. Some may not have access to vaccines in their home countries. And some may not have access to vaccines approved for emergency use in the US.
Several colleges say they plan to make photos available for international students upon arrival.
Northeastern student Tyler Lee said he thinks vaccinations are the right thing to do as it will help stop the spread of the virus and protect the community. Students agree with the decision, he said.
“It’s Northeastern’s decision,” said Tyler Lee. ‘If I didn’t like it, I would HandoverAnd that’s what most students feel, ”he added.
I am Susan Shand.
The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it to teach English. Hai Do was the editor.
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Words in this story
herd immunity – n. herd immunity is a form of protection against infectious diseases when a large percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, either through vaccination or previous infections, thereby reducing the likelihood of infection for individuals who do not have immunity.
ambiguity – n. something that has no clear meaning
appropriate adj. correct or suitable for a particular purpose or situation
bioethics n. the study of the ethical issues arising from advancements in biology and medicine.
Handover – v. moving to another school
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