ARTHUR MAHRER Staff Writer
The initial distribution of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in the US and internationally leads students to wonder when the COVID-19 vaccine could reach Bethel College. The vaccine would gradually put an end to the limitations and mental pressures of Zoom classes, as well as the color-coded statuses that govern the health of Bethel’s campus, and constant monitoring from the Campus Clear App. On a national and international stage, the vaccine has introduced a discussion about the reliability and safety of its injections. A potential roll-out date for the vaccine on Bethel Campus would impact future planning and class scheduling, as well as set a gradual return to a long lost normal without masks. In light of this, there are still numerous considerations that would make the long-awaited return of a normal not as easy as expected.
Even though there are currently no positive COVID-19 cases on Bethel’s campus and it is currently in green status, members of the Emergency Response Team remain unsure of a potential roll-out period for either vaccine on campus.
“I have no idea when Bethel will get the vaccine, even so college students do not fall under the initial wave of the vaccination process” said Sam Haynes, the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students.
“The distribution of a vaccine on Bethel’s campus is directly related to Kansas State Department of Health policies on how the vaccine should be distributed statewide, therefore, there is no clear picture of when the vaccine will be available for distribution at Bethel.” said Geri Tyrell, the Director of the Department of Nursing.
Any expectations for a COVID-19 vaccine to reach Bethel’s campus are unclear, much like any estimation regarding the grand exit of the Corona Virus from the face of the Earth. In addition to this, for Bethel to even truly consider a roll-out date for the vaccine, signs of herd immunity and of recovery should be shown on a national and international level. With that information, Bethel could effectively start planning for a mass vaccination of the campus population.
Thus, before the long-awaited cure needed to restore life as it were, there is a need for signs of adjustment on a global scale combined with a reversal of the ever-rising death toll in the US and abroad. In the meantime, one can assume that masks, six feet spacing among individuals, the newly implemented randomized testing of students and the social distancing guidelines are not yet ready to leave the status quo Bethel’s population. With the adherence and resilience of the Bethel community to these restrictions, the responsive community be heralded as a sign of good news on the horizons.