Opinion: Vaccinating Children Will Help Us All

In March of 2020, schools and everyday life began to shut down due to the overwhelming rise of COVID-19 cases. Luckily, a vaccine was swiftly developed that gave us a chance at returning to our normal lives.

To date, many adults have received the vaccine; however, many children have not. Implementing mandatory vaccines for children would decrease COVID cases significantly, as they would be less likely to carry the virus and spread it to each other and others who are more vulnerable.

COVID-19 is more transmissible than any other virus. Its side effects can be more severe and longer lasting than that of the flu. As students come back to the classroom, school administrators have rightly implemented mandates to prevent the number of possible cases in a clustered building. A school in San Francisco reported 90% of students ages 12 to 17 are vaccinated and there have been no recorded outbreaks since students returned to classrooms on Aug. 16.

A child vaccine mandate would help put an end to the spread, ensure safety at schools, and bring us closer to the lives we once lived.