COLORADO SPRINGS — Some college students are going to need more than just their laptops for class this fall.
Dozens of colleges and universities around the country will require their students to be vaccinated in order to access campus for the fall semester.
Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Fort Lewis College in Durango, and the University of Denver, are the three schools in Colorado that are planning to require all students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Colorado College released the following statement on Monday:
"...Aiming for high vaccination rates among CC community members is the best approach to take from a broader public health perspective and may mitigate some of the mental health impacts of the pandemic. To achieve this, with the recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Group, Colorado College will require all students, faculty, and staff who are living, learning, working on and accessing campus for the 2021-22 academic year to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We will work with students who may have limitations on accessing vaccinations..."
Ethan Lahan is a Freshman at UCCS, and he believes his school should also be on that list.
"I feel like the consensus here is that everyone should get vaccinated. It's college life, there are a lot of crowds and people being together," said Lahan.
UCCS is encouraging its students to receive the vaccine, but there's no talk about a mandate right now.
It's something Sandrina Concia, Freshman at UCCS, says is the right move.
"I like it. I think there is more freedom around it. I think people are getting it already, so it's nice that we have the option," said Concia.
Colleges are allowed to mandate the vaccine, according to attorney, Stephen Longo, as long as it does not conflict with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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