COVID irresponsibility among college students puts everyone in danger

Vaccine mandates mean that students are finally allowed to enjoy the complete college experience that they’ve been deprived of over the last year. But being vaccinated is not the end of the pandemic, especially with the spread of the new Delta variant. Despite this, many college students feel entitled to disregard the (minimal) restrictions required to prevent another campus closure. The hypocrisy is not so visible on campus. In fact, many do very well at complying with guidelines in school or preaching the importance of being masked and vaccinated in classes and school events. But, as soon as they set foot off campus, they do the exact opposite by attending house parties and other super-spreader events. 

Partying is an inevitable college occurrence. And, with non-remote students required to be vaccinated, many don’t see at these events as an issue. But multiple factors still put them and others at risk. 

The Delta variant, a relatively recent emergence, is a heightened, more contagious version of the COVID-19 virus that affects everyone, including those who are vaccinated. Though the symptoms are less severe for the vaccinated, vaccinated infectees can still very well contract and spread it. Attending parties where there are no COVID-19 prevention protocols increases the possibility that students will come into contact with unvaccinated people, increasing the risk of being exposed to the virus, thus exposing unassuming students upon returning to campus.

To assume immunity once vaccinated or to simply ignore the science is not only ignorant, but dangerous. Even as universities enter their first month of in-person classes, the number of positive COVID-19 cases has already spiked. As much as university faculty might encourage students to continue following COVID-19 guidelines, the reality is that the vast majority of students won’t listen. If this keeps up, universities face the risk of having to return to a virtual-only format.

But this scenario is easily preventable as long as students are mindful of their social gatherings. Students can easily have fun off-campus if they make simple modifications such as adhering to social distancing, attending outdoor parties, ensuring all guests are vaccinated or even just wearing masks at indoor events.

Such adjustments are a small price to pay for an active social and academic life. Especially considering that so much of the world still lacks access to vaccines, and many people are still in full lockdown and have been cut off from their everyday lives since the pandemic first began. College students in the U.S. are extremely privileged to be able to get vaccinated and go back to in-person school. To push their luck by going to packed houses full of mostly-strangers where there are, at most, farcical COVID-19 protection protocols is a high-risk, low-reward scenario.

Obviously, there is nothing that can be done to ensure that these measures are adopted. But if students are adamant about not following these protocols, they could be throwing away the small semblance of normalcy we’ve regained. The risk is not worth it for one wild night, but a lot of trouble could be avoided if they are wild safely.