Requirement of Vaccination in California

Andrew+Salguero+shows+his+COVID+vaccination+card%2C+indicating+he+is+fully+vaccinated.+Andrew+attends+Jame+Monroe+HIgh+School+in+North+Hills%2C+California

Andrew Salguero shows his COVID vaccination card, indicating he is fully vaccinated. Andrew attends Jame Monroe HIgh School in North Hills, California

California is the first state to add the COVID Vaccine to the list of required school vaccinations. The governor announced on October 1, 2021, that the Covid -19 vaccine will be required for students from kindergarten through 12 grade and school staff. The governor hopes to be able to add this regulation on January 1st or July 1st whichever comes first once they receive the federal approval from the FDA for the vaccine for K-6 and 7-12 since there will be different doses for the younger children  According to https://edsource.org/ their motive for this new decision is  We are exhausted, and we want to put this disease behind us.”

I understand that everyone is tired of the pandemic, but this is not a reasonable justification to force people to vaccinate themselves if they are not sure of doing it. In this case, parents are being forced to vaccinate their children therefore violating their freedom of choice. 

Students might not feel comfortable or safe getting the vaccine but are being forced to do so just so they can go back to school to continue their education. I have had a personal experience of this happening in my family. A cousin of mine who is in high school was told by his school that he needed to get the vaccine in order to go back. Eventually, he did get vaccinated. I asked him if he felt forced when he was told to get the vaccine and he said, “Getting the vaccine felt a bit forced when they said that we wouldn’t be able to do many things like not be able to go to school, go to some restaurants, and go out to amusement parks.”  As a student, if they told me that in order to be able to continue my education, I would have to get the vaccine, I would feel like my right of choosing what I think is best for me is being taken away. 

The Governor of California, Governor Newsom, announced they would be adding the vaccine to the list of required school vaccines, but it is different from other vaccines for different illnesses.  Like any other vaccine, the Covid vaccine has its side effects.  Many people say the side effects are mild, nothing serious. But the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine has had many cases where it can cause heart inflammation in young adults. As stated in https://www.mayoclinic.orgIn the U.S., there has been an increase in reported cases of myocarditis and pericarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, particularly in males ages 12 through 17. Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle, while pericarditis is the inflammation of the lining outside the heart.”  This shows that the vaccine can have a very serious side effect in young adults. I wouldn’t want to get vaccinated knowing it could have a serious affect in my heart. 

From the same article the side effects that have been reported in children are “Pain where the shot was given, Fatigue, Headache, Chills, Muscle pain, Fever, Joint pain, Swollen lymph node, Nausea, Decreased appetite.” Personally, when I feel sick, I feel awful. Especially when I have headaches, nausea, or just feel really tired. Now think about a 5–7-year-old child feeling these symptoms after receiving the vaccine. It would most likely affect them a lot more so they would feel greater discomfort and pain. 

I believe the Government of California has good intentions because they are trying to get everything to go back to normal and lower the death rates from Covid but they are not doing it in the right way. They are forcing people to get the vaccine and are not letting people choose what they believe is best for them and for their families, in this case their children. Even though the government is trying to do something to help with COVID-19, the freedom of choice is being taken away from the people in California, and there is nothing being done to help.