As Citrus College prepares to reopen amid a surge of COVID-19 cases, it should require vaccinations or testing among staff, students and faculty.
Approximately 71 California colleges now require either vaccinations or continued testing for students, faculty and staff to return to in-person learning safely. Citrus should be one of the first community colleges to do the same.
Over the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, Citrus confirmed a total of six confirmed COVID-19 cases on campus. Those cases happened while a limited number of faculty, staff and students deemed essential were allowed on campus.
However, in the past month alone, while the campus was mostly closed, the number of cases on campus has doubled. In July, Citrus confirmed six cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, five were students and one was an employee.
During the first two weeks of August, one student, one employee and one visitor on campus have tested positive for COVID-19. With even more students expected to return in the fall, Citrus’s safety precautions may not be enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
At a July 20 board meeting, theater arts professor Cherie Brown said Citrus needs to “Step it up, let’s be a forward-thinking school and not a follower school,” calling for Citrus to require vaccinations to prevent the spread of COVID -19 on campus.
Citrus should protect its students and employees in any way that it can. While it is understandable that many students and faculty might not be able to receive the vaccine, they should be continuously tested for COVID-19 instead.
Citrus should act now for its students to have a chance at an extra layer of protection. After the second dose of the vaccine, it takes two weeks to build immunity. Only a week away from the start of the fall semester it is crucial that those who are returning to campus are vaccinated before it is too late.
The new delta variant of the coronavirus makes the health risk of returning to campus even greater. The vaccines do not provide complete immunity to the variant, but reduce the risk of contracting it.
The time has come for Citrus to stand up for its community, faculty, staff and students. As cases surge and colleges move forward, will Citrus stay behind?
