Petition asking U. to mandate vaccines gets significant community response

SALT LAKE CITY — A petition calling on the University of Utah to require vaccines is getting signatures from droves of students, faculty, hospital staff, and community members. 

A local group called Unsafe U organized the petition, which has been signed by more than 1,100 people. The petition states increased vaccination is the only way to keep people safe and move past the pandemic. 

The petition also gave respondents the opportunity to leave a comment. 

“As a leading research university in the nation, you should be leading the way. Mandating vaccines is now legal and ethical–theres no reason not to do it if you care about the safety of the campus community.”

“I work at the hospital and could not support this more strongly.”

“The U is putting our whole campus community at risk by not mandating masks or vaccines and insisting on in person classes.”

“I am immunocompromised, and a failure to require vaccines and masks is a death sentence for me and other vulnerable students. It’s up to the U to protect us by standing up to defy the unjust laws passed by the state senate.”

“Let’s immunize, gang!”

The FDA’s approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could open the door to vaccine requirements on Utah’s college and university campuses. | By @DN_Marjoriehttps://t.co/kUH5rJrkQ9

— Deseret News (@DeseretNews) August 27, 2021

What about the law on vaccine requirements? 

The law passed by the Utah Legislature earlier this year, H.B.0308, states public institutions may not require vaccines that are under emergency use authorization.

Now that the FDA has fully approved the Pfizer vaccine, Unsafe U says the school is OK under state law to move forward with a mandate. 

Westminster College, a private university, has already implemented a vaccine requirement for the fall semester.