The number of COVID cases is rising again among communities as vaccinations stagger. Several different demographics are recording lower vaccination rates than normal, and one of them is young adults. 

Vaccination hesitancy among young adults is very concerning given the new Delta Variant. This prompted President Szymanski to write a letter to the UNF community, urging everyone to get vaccinated.

But what is the vaccination status of the Osprey community as we return to campus? Spinnaker set out to get a better idea of what that would look like. We set up an Instagram poll, asking students whether or not they had received any dose of any vaccine yet.

Poll results, courtesy of Spinnaker.

Around three out of every four students responded that they had received part or all of a vaccine so far. This is similar to a national survey conducted, which showed that one in every four adults ages 18-25 said that they “probably will not or definitely will not” get vaccinated.

This also shows how vaccinations among young people are slower than all other age groups, as a similar poll conducted nearly three months ago reported a nearly identical percentage of vaccinations. Now there is obviously some degree of polling error here, as there is no way nobody hasn’t gotten the vaccine in that time, but it still shows a dangerous trend.

Spinnaker also gave students the opportunity to explain their reasoning behind not getting vaccinated, and we received many different and interesting responses.

Some students just haven’t had the time or opportunity to get vaccinated yet.

“Going next week!” replied one student.

Many students were nervous about the medical reactions they might have to the vaccine.

“I’m nervous because I don’t know how my body will react to it,” said a concerned student.

Many also felt that the side effects are not fully known yet.

“We do not know the long-term effects of this vaccine” expressed one student.

Some students felt that it just wasn’t necessary for them because they had never had COVID or weren’t at-risk.

“I’m a young healthy individual and I don’t see a reason to get it. I’m not at high risk” another student remarked.

This comes as the university prepares to welcome back students for the fall semester. Students must make appointments, and provide a false COVID test or proof of vaccination to be approved to move in.

Time will tell how the pandemic will affect UNF when we return in the fall semester.

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