ASUI passed a resolution encouraging students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and addressed hesitations surrounding the vaccine.
Following the prior week’s rejection of a resolution calling Gov. Brad Little to rescind an executive order banning vaccine passports, ASUI unanimously voted to pass a resolution calling for students who attend in-person classes and events to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The resolution specifically highlighted the spread of COVID-19 in Latah County. The past week saw an increase of 27% in positivity rates locally and nearly 300 positive cases; a level of spread which indicated that “wearing masks alone is not enough to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 57.6% of Latah County adults aged 18 or older are fully vaccinated and 89.2% of adults aged 65 or older are fully vaccinated, numbers that remain above the state vaccination rates for both age groups at 54.6% and 77.5% respectively.
With the understanding of the recent spread of COVID-19 in Latah County, the resolution presented the vaccine as a safeguard for campus students, faculty and staff.
“It’s just important to ensure that all Vandals are healthy and encouraging students to get vaccinated is a bigger step towards that goal,” Sen. Secilia Lopez said.
Following the resolution’s introduction, Sen. Herman Roberts made a point to combat fears surrounding the vaccine, in response to discussion prior to last week’s rejected resolution.
“According to a multitude of credible sources and experts, there’s no evidence supporting the false claim that receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will impact a person’s ability to conceive,” Roberts said. “In fact, people who are concerned about their reproductive ability should want to get the vaccine because it has been shown that pregnant women are more likely to experience worse side effects from the COVID-19 virus itself.”
In addition to assuaging fears surrounding the vaccine, ASUI continues to push vaccine-related resolutions as a way for students to have a role in working towards a more “normal” college experience.
“The tool to reclaiming our college experience is the vaccine,” Roberts said.
ASUI also introduced two bills to be voted on next week. The first is a resolution calling for a revision of the University of Idaho’s parental leave policy which, unlike Boise State University and Idaho State University, fails to provide paid parental leave. The second is a resolution recognizing October as LGBTQIA+ History Month. Further details, including the status of their passage, can be expected in the upcoming ASUI meeting.
Royce McCandless can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter @roycemccandless