Covid has impacted every part of the global society, and now the focus on the vaccine and whether it should be mandated or not. As of October 18, 2021, staff members Camas High School (CHS) must be fully vaccinated, or provide a religious or medical exemption, a requirement that caused many state employees to be fired or quit. So, what is to be said for the students? Could a vaccine requirement be on the horizon? 

CHS Principal Tom Morris said, “I think since there are so many people on both sides of the fence, mandating the vaccine for students would cause a lot of people to come out and have some concerns and complaints.” 

Earleen Martin, who works in the attendance office, said, “You’re never ever going to make everyone happy at the same time; there’s always going to be opposition.”

For a school of more than 2,000 students, there is bound to be some controversy within this topic. 

Junior Oliver Munson said, “Personally, I think that it would be beneficial to my family and me because we have people within our family with weak immune systems, but for the public, it would be pretty split because I know it’s become a political issue.” 

It is hard to divide such an emotional health issue with politics, but that is what has become of Covid. Everybody has beliefs that need to be honored. While some students and families may be for the vaccine, others may not. 

 “From one extreme to another, some people think they’re invincible just because they’ve been vaccinated, and others think they’re still always in danger,” Martin said. 

Many wonder how schooldays would change if every student and teacher were vaccinated. This answer is unknown. In any event, it is not up to the school district to require the vaccine, but rather the state. However, comparing 2020 to 2021, there are some major differences that it has brought.

“If you’re vaccinated with no symptoms, you don’t have to go home … Whereas last year, even if you were in close contact, you were out for quite a while,” Principal Morris said. “Every time someone had Covid, you might have had eight or 12 or even 18 people impacted.

“This school year is a step up from last school year when we were out,” Martin said.

Last year was incredibly difficult for students, staff, and parents alike. And the year before, what started out as a two-week break from class, turned into a worldwide pandemic killing millions. The only thing left to do is try to recover and move forward.

“Being here in person, for me, outweighs having to wear a mask,” Morris said.

While masks may be troublesome and an annoyance for many, with numbers getting lower and lower, they appear to be paying off. If CHS can manage to get through this pandemic with no need for vaccination requirements, that may end up being a huge factor for many families to persevere with wearing masks.