Is your freshman getting a booster to fulfill college requirement Fall 22?

[Anonymous]

I am not anti-vax, but my kid has had Covid twice and has original two shots of Pfizer. Would rather not boost due to side effects. My understanding is that the booster works best in the first two months after you receive it. Given that, why force kids to get a booster two months before college even begins?

Thoughts? Anyone think this mandate is going away?

[Anonymous]

It won't go away before August--if the school your kid chose is requiring the booster, then your kid needs to get it. Or they could see if there is a way to defer admission till next year--I do think that many schools will drop the requirements for fall 2023.

Did you only recently come to the conclusion that the booster is unnecessary?
There are many universities that do not require the vaccine at all--did you encourage your kid to apply to any of those?

What does your kid think about the vaccine/booster requirement? If they are in favor (or at least ok with) getting the booster, shouldn't it be their choice?

[Anonymous]

Most top schools are still requiring.

However, Northwestern dropped the booster last week. Cornell and U Rochester dropped the booster a couple of months ago. It's possible that others might follow, if they decide to apply a little logic.

See what types of exemptions are offered by that school. Unfortunately, as far as I'm aware, none are offering an exemption for antibody levels being super high already.

[Anonymous]

No one needs a got dam booster at this point. The virus has mutated into just another cold. Look at the way cases are rising but hospitalizations and deaths are staying flat. That's because it's not a deadly virus anymore for the vast majority of people and certainly not for college students. These schools need to stop being insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It won't go away before August--if the school your kid chose is requiring the booster, then your kid needs to get it. Or they could see if there is a way to defer admission till next year--I do think that many schools will drop the requirements for fall 2023.

Did you only recently come to the conclusion that the booster is unnecessary?
There are many universities that do not require the vaccine at all--did you encourage your kid to apply to any of those?

What does your kid think about the vaccine/booster requirement? If they are in favor (or at least ok with) getting the booster, shouldn't it be their choice?

+1
Your kid is presumably a legal adult, and certainly old enough to have a say. If the school requires it and your kid is fine with it, why interfere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most top schools are still requiring.

However, Northwestern dropped the booster last week. Cornell and U Rochester dropped the booster a couple of months ago. It's possible that others might follow, if they decide to apply a little logic.

See what types of exemptions are offered by that school. Unfortunately, as far as I'm aware, none are offering an exemption for antibody levels being super high already.

Almost forgot... Duke also removed the booster requirement, except for health science students.

[Anonymous]

Also WashU does not require a booster. Vandy and Rice no longer have vax mandates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It won't go away before August--if the school your kid chose is requiring the booster, then your kid needs to get it. Or they could see if there is a way to defer admission till next year--I do think that many schools will drop the requirements for fall 2023.

Did you only recently come to the conclusion that the booster is unnecessary?
There are many universities that do not require the vaccine at all--did you encourage your kid to apply to any of those?

What does your kid think about the vaccine/booster requirement? If they are in favor (or at least ok with) getting the booster, shouldn't it be their choice?

This, above. If the college requires it, OP, your kid needs to get it and be done. It will add to your kid's stress if the college requires it but you as the parent are being ambivalent or opposing it; just get it done if it's required. If your kid had tough side effects with the initial doses, I'm sorry as that isn't fun. But that is not a guarantee there will also be be tough side effects for a booster.

[Anonymous]

My kid already got a booster.

[Anonymous]

DC's college required boosters last school year during the year, which we appreciated. It's a very Covid-aware campus and has managed to stay open with in-person classes throughout the pandemic other than for the period March-May 2020 at the very start of the pandemic. If only the CDC would drop its very arbitrary rules about who can get a second booster, DC says he would gladly get one before going back to campus. I know that won't be popular with DCUM "you're just anxious" posters who think the pandemic is overblown. Flame away. Just today DC was saying he knows students at other colleges who did remote classes pretty much their entire year 2020-2021, when DC was in classes with friends, thanks to a really serious Covid protocol at the college. So for us, we say, boost once and boost twice if you want.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Next question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC's college required boosters last school year during the year, which we appreciated. It's a very Covid-aware campus and has managed to stay open with in-person classes throughout the pandemic other than for the period March-May 2020 at the very start of the pandemic. If only the CDC would drop its very arbitrary rules about who can get a second booster, DC says he would gladly get one before going back to campus. I know that won't be popular with DCUM "you're just anxious" posters who think the pandemic is overblown. Flame away. Just today DC was saying he knows students at other colleges who did remote classes pretty much their entire year 2020-2021, when DC was in classes with friends, thanks to a really serious Covid protocol at the college. So for us, we say, boost once and boost twice if you want.

The colleges that didn't require the vaccine at all also managed to have in person classes for the 2020-21 year.

[Anonymous]

I think it makes more sense to wait until Oct/Nov. to get whatever updated booster is available. I'm very pro vax. My kids have had the booster... but that was back in Dec/Jan. I don't see any need to get more shots until the late fall to prepare for the holiday/winter surge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC's college required boosters last school year during the year, which we appreciated. It's a very Covid-aware campus and has managed to stay open with in-person classes throughout the pandemic other than for the period March-May 2020 at the very start of the pandemic. If only the CDC would drop its very arbitrary rules about who can get a second booster, DC says he would gladly get one before going back to campus. I know that won't be popular with DCUM "you're just anxious" posters who think the pandemic is overblown. Flame away. Just today DC was saying he knows students at other colleges who did remote classes pretty much their entire year 2020-2021, when DC was in classes with friends, thanks to a really serious Covid protocol at the college. So for us, we say, boost once and boost twice if you want.

And with the extra boost, your DC would be much less likely to experience serious side effects if they got covid, so a win-win. Glad to hear about colleges that took it seriously and keep kids in class. My own DC would get another booster if allowed.

[Anonymous]

Mine got the booster in Dec. I am wondering if she should get another. Her initial was April.

I was thinking if so, early Aug would be good to have max protection starting off.