Santa Clara County will require the COVID-19 booster vaccine for students by July 2022 to return to school in the fall, according to the county’s requirements for student immunizations.
Students who have not already received their booster are strongly encouraged to make an appointment or attend a walk-in site, according to the county’s Student Vaccination website.
The website states that local vaccination clinics and pharmacies are easier for walk-ins, and no appointments are necessary.
Senior Crystal Xin said she found the process of getting her booster vaccine to be simple.
“It was fairly easy to get a booster. I just (walked) into CVS or Walgreens and (said) I need my booster, and then they boosted me,” Xin said.
Xin said she agrees with the new requirement and that the benefits of the booster policy outweigh the trouble.
“A lot of us are already vaccinated, so it won’t be too much of a hassle to be vaccinated again,” Xin said. “I know that it refreshes the antibodies in your immune system, which makes you a lot more resistant to the new strains.”
Sophomore Trey Collins said he also agrees with the new vaccine mandate.
“I think it’s no different than getting the measles vaccine or any other vaccine,” Collins said. “I don’t think it should be a choice to keep (people) healthy. I think that should be a requirement.”
This story will continue to be updated.