This archive report was first published on 28 June 2021.
As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, a growing concern has emerged: young adults are among the biggest barriers to mass immunity. According to recent data, many in this age group are hesitant to get vaccinated, citing concerns about side effects and a perceived low risk from the virus.
One such individual is Ms. Burke, a senior at Western Michigan University from Chicago. In an interview, she expressed her nervousness about the vaccine, stating, “I’m nervous about what’s in the vaccine. I think personally I’ll put it off until I absolutely must get it.” Her concerns are not unique, as multiple young women have raised similar worries about the vaccine’s potential impact on women’s reproductive systems.
However, scientists have repeatedly emphasized that there is no evidence to support these claims. In fact, studies have shown that the vaccines do not affect fertility or pregnancy. Nevertheless, rare but real side effects have emerged as a serious concern, particularly for young people who feel they are at low risk from the virus itself.
One such example is the recent pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccinations due to the discovery of rare blood clots in young women. Additionally, federal health officials have reported that the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines may have caused heart problems in about 1,200 Americans, many of whom were under the age of 30. While the benefits of vaccination continue to outweigh the risks, these concerns have contributed to the hesitancy among young adults.
Not all that long ago, most people in their teens and 20s were not eligible for a vaccine. However, as demand outpaced supply, states prioritized their oldest and sickest residents for shots. By late April, all adults were eligible, but by then, case numbers had fallen sharply from their winter peak, and demand in the youngest age groups never approached the levels seen among older adults.
Many colleges have since implemented vaccination requirements for students returning for fall classes, but the challenge remains: building a case for young adults to get vaccinated. As Dr. Sarah Van Orman, the chief health officer for the University of Southern California’s student health system, noted, “I think that, for the younger generation, we now really have to build the case for them to be vaccinated. I think we have a long ways to go for that.”
