Editor’s Note: All photos contributed by the interviewee.

Nina Biondolillo (she/her)

third-year ecological engineering student

“I think it is awesome that Oregon is planning to get everyone 16 and up eligible for the vaccine. I know that as soon as I am eligible I’m going to book an appointment at the Reser Stadium clinic!”

Shoroq Alabdali (she/her)

fourth-year civil engineering student

“Oregon plans to vaccinate everybody by July, it’s going to be kinda impossible. There are still people I know on a personal basis are not very accepting of getting vaccinated. Nevertheless, there are too many people in Oregon that don’t have access to WiFi or have phones that can sign up for the vaccination. Maybe they need to start thinking about a way to make vaccinations available including homeless and rural areas.”

Madelyn Arzie (she/her)

second-year biohealth sciences student

“I am hopeful about Oregon’s plans. It has been a long year and this seems like the light at the end of the tunnel. While it may be a while until things are fully normal again, I am excited to get vaccinated to protect myself and others.”

Chase Costanti (he/him)

first-year business administration student

“I think it would be a great idea to give everyone over 16 the opportunity to be vaccinated by May. Even if some people have personal reasons that they don’t want to get vaccinated, everyone should have that option available for them. It would increase comfortability in those who want to get the vaccine without affecting those who don’t.”

Mazen Elsheik (he/him) (not pictured)

fourth-year electrical engineering student

“I think it’s great that they are planning to have people vaccinated by then, the sooner it gets done, the better. I also think it is something that should be provided to all students by the university, we pay so much for our tuition and other resources, it seems only fair that it’s provided to us free of charge.”

Kjerstyn Jordheim (she/her)

first-year vocal performance student

“I am super excited about getting vaccinated! I think this is a step towards a better future.”

Abbey Lakeman (she/hers)  

second-year human development and family studies student

“It’s a really lofty goal, especially since May is less than a month away, but based on how the vaccine rollout has been going under the Biden administration, I think it will happen. It also gives me a lot of hope to know that Oregon is prioritizing vaccinations in the teen population now, especially because it’s that group of people that are struggling with social distancing themselves the most. I know far too many high schoolers that have died by suicide or contemplated it and I think being able to get them back into school will help lower those high suicide rates, especially in Oregon.”

Thelonious Luzell (he/him)

second-year business student

“I think Oregon’s plans on the vaccines are great. OSU announced that they are planning on having 90% of classes in-person fall term if everyone gets the vaccine which is also exciting. Hopefully the vaccines decrease the rate of COVID-19 spreading and we can slowly get life back on track.”

Vivian Nguyen (she/her)

third-year chemistry student

“The goal has been to get every eligible person vaccinated after this whole year, and so to see that come to fruition is exciting. Many people are very tired with cabin fever and we’ve heard about the potential variants around, so speeding up the plan and finishing these vaccinations within the next month or so is a real ‘light at the end of the tunnel.’ Obviously, there are some people who are going to be fearful of the science behind it, but I believe that eventually, herd immunity will develop. It will be great to get back to in-person classes as a college student as well, and to maybe even have a more eventful senior year.”

Breanna Repp (she/her)

second-year biohealth sciences student

“I think getting everyone vaccinated by May is a great idea, but since I have been eligible, I have had a very difficult time finding any appointments. I hope they can start more drives so that they can at least get everyone vaccinated by summer. I also think more mass drives like the drive-thru vaccination sites through OHSU like at PDX are a great way to have an abundance of appointments and are much more accessible to get than to visit every pharmacy’s website.”

Gracie Thompson (she/her)

fourth-year zoology student

“I feel like this is a really great step in the right direction. The only issue I see with using a starting age of 16 is that it might be complicated to get parental consent. With all the controversy we see in society today surrounding the vaccine, it might be a toilsome task trying to get consent from those who wish to not partake in the vaccine. I think it might be a better idea to start with 18 and older so that younger individuals can make their own decisions in regards to the COVID-19 vaccine. However, it would be an amazing start to get everyone back out doing what they love.”

Sophia Zoll (she/her)

second-year environmental sciences student

“I think the plan to have people ages 16 and up vaccinated by May is an exciting prospect. Personally, I have never had COVID-19, so it will be a relief to be able to go about my daily life without the fear that I could be putting myself or others in danger. I plan on getting vaccinated right away and encouraging all my friends and family to do the same. Especially in the OSU community, I feel as though it’s important for students to get vaccinated as soon as possible so we can not only reach herd immunity and protect the larger community, but also have hope for a ‘normal’ in-person fall term. My only concern with this plan would be continuing to enforce mask mandates and social distancing until Oregon has changed its mandates, as I am scared people will want to ‘return to normal’ as soon as they get vaccinated, when really we need to continue to be patient until the majority of the population has been vaccinated. However, if everyone tries to get vaccinated as soon as possible, hopefully, this won’t be a problem!”