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Syracuse University recently announced that all students, faculty and staff will be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination to come to campus after June 1. With so many COVID-19 vaccination doses available in the Syracuse area, it would be absurd not to require vaccinations. There are many benefits to having a fully vaccinated student body, especially as we hope to have a more “normal” fall semester.

SU just began administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on campus for all students, and New York state now allows anyone over age 16 to be vaccinated. All students at SU can now easily receive a vaccine.

So, what could a fully vaccinated campus look like in the fall? Fully vaccinated people can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, though they should still avoid large gatherings, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This could make for a near-normal in-person semester this fall. Having smaller classes in person and at full capacity would be a huge change for the fall. In some sense, the campus would be back to how it was before the start of the pandemic. 

CDC guidelines also state that, if you are fully vaccinated, you don’t need to get tested or quarantine after traveling within the U.S. This could mean fewer quarantine rules at the beginning of the semester for students who live in noncontiguous states. SU students who live within the U.S. and are fully vaccinated have a high chance of finally enjoying a normal semester back on Syracuse’s campus this fall. 

The CDC also states that most fully vaccinated people don’t need to quarantine or get tested if they’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, unless they’re presenting symptoms. This is huge for SU students, especially those who have spent countless days in the Sheraton Hotel. There are countless benefits of requiring the student body to be vaccinated to return to campus. It’s our only real chance at a normal fall semester.

The sports games and events on campus are a huge part of what makes this school so special. So many aspects of campus life have been lost or changed since the start of the pandemic, and they could be reinstated in the fall when the student body is vaccinated.

So, the answer to whether getting vaccinated is worth it for a fully in-person fall semester is simple: It’s worth it.

With a fully vaccinated campus community, SU will be able to go back to business as usual. Syracuse is an entirely different place with COVID-19 in the mix. Students and faculty should be relieved that an end of this restrained and unfamiliar life here on campus is on the horizon. With vaccinations required, Syracuse will return to an (almost) normal fall semester.  

Nicole Troy is a sophomore information management and technology major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at notroy@syr.edu.

Published on April 11, 2021 at 8:39 pm