Hieu: Yes, they should.

Don’t let fear guide your decision to not take the COVID-19 vaccine. Let’s look at the research and evidence before contributing even more to the death toll.

The vaccine trials showed great results. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, both the Moderna and the Pfizer vaccine showed 95% efficacy at preventing both mild and severe symptoms of COVID-19. The efficacy level applies across age groups, sexes, racial and ethnic groups. This means the result applies to the general U.S. population.

The vaccine got years of a head start and was not created solely in 11 months. According to the Los Angeles Times, the groundwork for the vaccine was laid by the National Institute of Health and the University of Pennsylvania. More specifically, the mRNA technology was first researched 15 years ago. The SARS and MERS outbreak helped contribute even more to the vaccine development.

Allergic reactions do not equate death. Out of nearly 1,900,000 million vaccines taken, only 21 cases of anaphylaxis allergic reaction occurred. According to the CDC, no one died as a result of their severe allergic reactions.

In light of the Bell palsy, a condition where your face deforms, the symptoms don’t last and are treatable. Allergic reactions remains rare, said Nancy Messonnier, the head of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

New mutations will arise if virus spread is prolonged. A new variant of the virus was recently found in the U.K., now in the U.S that had a higher infection rate. If more infections happen that’ll increase the possibility of a more lethal and infectious virus. However, the vaccines will be effective against it.

Overall, vaccines save lives, not take them.

School events like prom, sport events, friends, our precious teenage years will only be a dream if vaccines aren’t mandatory. Therefore, making vaccines mandatory is the key to getting back our livelihoods.

Lexi: No, they should not.

There are many side effects like pain where they got the shot, fatigue, headache, chills, fever and joint and muscle pain.

Although the side effects can be temporary, who would want to go through that just to get a shot that might not even work for them?

Side effects of the shot may feel like the flu and even take away your ability to do daily activities. With most COVID-19 vaccines, you will need two shots in order for them to work. Get the second shot even if you have side effects after the first shot.

Who would want to get two shots? Not me that’s for sure.

This vaccine came out in less than a year. That isn’t a long time for scientists to tell if it would even work or not. Currently, several COVID-19 vaccines are in clinical trials. The FDA will review the results of these trials before approving COVID-19 vaccines for use. But because there is an urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines and the FDA’s vaccine approval process can take months and even years, the FDA will give emergency use authorization to COVID-19 vaccines based on less data than normally required.

Basically, people are putting a vaccine into their bodies that hasn’t even been studied for that long.

The COVID-19 vaccine may cause side effects similar to signs and symptoms of COVID-19. If you get the vaccine you might think you have COVID-19. Why would someone want to get a vaccine that makes you feel like you have the disease it’s trying to prevent you from.

There is no research on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Women carrying babies have more risks than anyone. There is no research saying that it’s safe for them to get the vaccine. So in conclusion no people should not be required to get the COVID-19 vaccine.