Kaplan Survey Finds 72 Percent of College Students Support Vaccine Mandate on Campus; Mask Mandate Support at Near 80 Percent
As one pro-mandate student shared, “Public health is not a personal freedom. You not getting vaccinated puts everyone at risk.” One student who stands against the mandate said, “If I have a 99.9 percent survival rate from COVID and a healthy immune system, why would I ever be concerned?”
The survey also confirms a deep partisan divide regarding vaccinations that exists across the country. Of the students surveyed who self-identify as Democratic or Democratic-leaning voters, 96 percent support a vaccine mandate at colleges, up from 90 percent in April’s survey. But among those who self-identify as Republican or Republican-leaning voters, the percentage is just 24 percent, significantly down from 37 percent in April’s survey.
Strong Support for Mask Requirements
The survey also finds strong support for masking, with 79 percent favoring a mask mandate for indoor settings. Some in the survey begrudgingly support this, saying if they are already vaccinated, masking up may be overkill. And just like on the vaccine mandate question, the partisan divide is strong, with 94 percent of
Vaccination Status and Community Engagement
Whether or not a college student gets the shot may also impact their social life, the survey also finds, with 63 percent saying that someone's vaccination status plays an important role in their decision to spend time in person together. One student who said vaccination status was a factor shared, “I'm vaccinated, so I'm not too worried about myself. Most people I know are vaccinated and those who aren't we are probably not agreeing on much lately and may not be hanging out with them right now anyway.” An opposing viewpoint came from another student who said, “Seems very elitist to not interact with someone based on their vaccination status.”
“College students remain eager for a return to normalcy, and most think that for their own safety and the safety of those around them that vaccination and mask mandates, though controversial in some quarters, remain the best solutions to get there,'' said
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*Based on the results of an e-survey conducted
About Kaplan
Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of
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Source: Kaplan
