Covid-19 vaccines are currently being distributed in several countries. Below are three high-school students’ opinions on the vaccines:

1. What is your opinion on the Covid-19 vaccine?

“I think that it is a really good idea and everyone should take it. Just thinking about the safety of yourself and the safety of other more high risk people. As long as it’s been through the proper testing phases, which it’d been shown it has, it’s a great idea.” – Ella Chepak ’23

“My opinion is that I think using the vaccine is a good idea because studies have shown it to be 94/95% effective. Of course, it could be different for everyone, but it sounds like a good step towards the future.” – Savanna Fisher ’22

“I think that it’s going to really improve people’s lives because I think that having a vaccine and, like, just testing it out is going to help people be able to go do things. I think that it’s important for it to be tested a lot to make sure that we have the right vaccine. [I also think that it’s important for it to] become big like the flu vaccine where everybody gets it and not worry about getting the virus as much.” – Zi Burns ’22

2. How successful do you think the vaccine will be in containing the pandemic?

“I think that, you know, the way this vaccine has been manufactured there is a lot of science behind it that you can read into. Hopefully it will be very effective, but I think that you have to trust the ability of other people to get the vaccine …because if a certain number of people don’t, they will still be able to spread the virus to each other.” – Ella Chepak ’23

“I think the vaccine will be moderately successful in containing the virus because obviously not everyone is going to get it, and it doesn’t make us 100% immune to the virus. But, I think it will allow the world to open up more maybe in terms of travel and the amount of people in a building. However, I think we will still need mask and social distancing measures put in place.” – Savanna Fisher ’22

“I think that if they get it right, I think that it will be really successful. But, I think that Covid-19 is a lot different than the flu, so it’s really hard to say if it’s going to be as effective as the flu vaccine. But, I think that it could be really effective if it’s tested a lot.” – Zi Burns ’22

3. What do you think about possible side effects of the vaccine?

“I think that with anything you do and any vaccine you take, there are possible side effects. But, I think that the rewards of keeping everyone safe and keeping everyone alive outweigh the risks.” – Ella Chepak ’23

“As far as I’m aware I haven’t heard of any side effects. That being said, everything comes with risks. Me personally, I think I would wait for the first round of people to get it and make sure nothing serious happens, and then I would get it.” – Savanna Fisher ’22

“I think if you’re going to get the vaccine, you have to be able to put up with the side effects, or…obviously you’re going to be aware of them. I don’t really know about what you can do to help prevent the side effects, but I think that it’s definitely worth taking the vaccine even if you have those side effects.” – Zi Burns ’22

4. What’s your opinion on schools requiring the vaccination?

“I think that schools should require the vaccination, and I understand that people say that its their right to choose whether they have a vaccine or not. But, these vaccines go through a lot of testing to make sure that they are safe. And, you know, schools require vaccines for things like chicken pox, so why not a pandemic that is threatening people’s lives right now.” – Ella Chepak ’23

“I think it’s going to be up to the school whether or not to have the vaccine mandatory. But like most vaccines, you can’t do that because obviously there are a few people who are concerned about them. I think with this being a brand new vaccine,…we have yet to see if it actually works to decrease the cases or if there are any major side effects.” – Savanna Fisher ’22

“My opinion is that they should require it because I do not think that I would feel safe if not everybody is getting vaccinated [and] only a select few were getting vaccinated because then I think that [Covid-19] would be spread too easily still.” – Zi Burns ’22

Thank you to Senja Levy, Staff Writer and Photographer, for conducting two in-person interviews!