Vaccine Mandate For Students Supported By Majority In VA Survey

VIRGINIA — A majority of respondents in a Patch survey favor a future COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students.

While children 12 and older can get vaccinated, there is no vaccine authorized yet for younger children. That could change soon after Pfizer requested authorization of its vaccine for ages 5 to 11. The vaccine manufacturer announced in September that its vaccine is safe and effective for children ages 5 to 11 based on a clinical trial using smaller doses of the vaccine for children than the doses given to adults.

With three COVID-19 vaccines available to adults and Pfizer's vaccine given full approval by the FDA for people 16 and older, some workplaces have mandated the vaccine for employees. A petition for a mandate for staff and students was submitted to the Virginia Department of Health and garnered thousands of public comments. Gov. Ralph Northam has indicated a statewide vaccine mandate for school staff and students would be up to the Virginia General Assembly, according to the Virginia Mercury.

With much public discussion about vaccine mandates and FDA's review of authorizing Pfizer's vaccine for younger children, we asked readers to complete a vaccine mandate survey. From the afternoons of Tuesday, Oct. 12 to Friday, Oct. 15, our Virginia survey received 2,880 responses.

This survey is meant to be an informal collection of Virginians' opinions. It is not a scientific survey and its results should not be used as such. Much of our readership is based in Northern Virginia, which has some of the highest vaccination rates in the state.

On the matter of mandating the vaccine for K-12 students, 63.4 percent believe it should be required once a vaccine is authorized for younger children. Another 35.2 percent believe it should not be required, and 1.4 percent were unsure.

Slightly more respondents — 65.9 percent — believe the vaccine should be required for school staff. The percentage who don't support a requirement for staff was 33 percent, and 1.1 percent were unsure.

Similarly, 65.3 percent believe high school athletes should be required to get the vaccine to participate in sports. Another 33.5 percent do not support a requirement, and 1.2 percent were unsure.

The question of whether parents would get children under 12 was optional. Out of 1,936 responses, 57.5 percent said they would their children vaccinated once approved, 35 percent said no, and 7.4 percent were unsure.

Some readers chose to leave comments sharing their views on vaccines. Here are some highlights:

• Children are at a low risk, so the risk reward of vaccines is hard to justify the mandate
• Medical Freedom should always be a choice
• If schools can mandate all these other vaccines including HPV I don't see what the issue is.
• Vaccines are great modern miracle. Mandates are an infringement on personal liberties
• Many vaccines are required and have been for years. This can be a deadly disease and for some permanently debilitating.
• Nothing should be mandated until there is more time to study the effects of this vaccine.
• The vaccine saves lives; the government is providing it for free. I lined up in school and took the polio vaccine years ago. It saved so many lives. We can end COVID and return to our lives by vaccination of the population. No brainer!
• I am vaccinated but not sure if my little one should get one yet
• Long term safety in children has not been proven. The vaccine should be available, if approved for use for children 5-11, but NOT state mandated. This should be a parental choice.
• Only medically necessary exemptions should be allowed
• It is too soon to impose mandates. Once the vaccine has been tested for several years to assess side effects then it would be reasonable to reconsider.
• A statewide mandate to require proof of full vaccination status to enter restaurants, theaters, bars and other similar establishments needs to be put into effect immediately before it gets cold and outdoor dining becomes impractical.
• You can wear a mask if you like. Get the vaccine if you want it. Leave our freedoms alone.
• Medical decisions are very personal and should be based on the individual medical needs of the patient and the advice of a personal physician. They should not be dictated by the state in a one-size-fits-all mandate.
• Vaccination is for the common good of everyone and our economy, and in particular we should prioritize protecting our children.
• Because younger children have not gotten sick from covid nearly as much as older children or adults I don't feel they should have the mandate on younger children.
• I would feel much safer at school if I knew that all of my peers were vaccinated. Getting the vaccine shows basic human decency and protects our community.
• Covid-19 is a transmissible disease just as polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and chicken pox are, and all of which have vaccines that are required by almost every school district in the country. While young children do not seem to be as vulnerable as those over 65, kids can still get Covid, get hospitalized, and die. They can also spread the disease to others. To get the pandemic under control, children need to be vaccinated.
• If the child is younger than 18 it should be up to the parent or legal guardian whether their child should get vaccinated. If the child is 18 or older it should be up to the child. America has no business trying to legislate something like this when it comes to what should be put into a person's body.
• Remember the grandparents - we WANT to be around our grandchildren and at events that may include their friends - it's not just about them - it makes sense to protect all.