Many factors go into the decision to get vaccinated.  If your life consists of working remotely, online schooling, going to the local park, swimming, or watching movies at home, then you may feel you do not need the COVID-19 vaccine.  At the same time, if you are an athlete, or if you like to go to large sporting events, indoor concerts, and other places with crowds, or you enjoy traveling to other countries, then vaccination may be more of a necessity.  

We should also be aware of vaccination rules that some companies and organizations are starting to implement. 

Private non-government employers may require a COVID-19 vaccine for work. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stated, “Federal EEO laws do not prevent an employer from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, so long as employers comply with the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other EEO considerations.”   

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is requiring that student athletes get vaccinated. An article  written by Natalie Gutierrez, a writer for Palomar colleges independent newspaper, stated, “College officials have now come to a point where they have made a decision to mandate all college athletes receive the vaccine before returning to the field. In an article from GMA News Online, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) made this decision to require vaccinations for all college athletes.”  

News on whether Junior college athletes will be required to get vaccinated has not been released; however, you can stay updated on the NJCAA’s website page. 

Avid travelers are aware that many common vaccines are recommended for international travel. For example, to travel to Germany, the CDC recommend getting vaccinated for Chickenpox (Varicella), Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis, Flu (influenza), Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), Polio, and Shingles.  

For a specific list based on your desired destination, follow this link. On the site, on the left of the screen you can choose the country you are traveling to from a drop-down menu and see what vaccine recommendations the CDC provides. The CDC website also includes information about COVID-19. There is a menu on the right side of the screen with two links. One link leads to an interactive COVID-19 risk map that reflects the status of the pandemic in certain countries. The other link leads to a simple list of COVID-19 health notices for multiple countries.