Mandatory vaccines would keep colleges safe

Re: “Shots urged but not required” (Page B1, April 9):

As eligibility requirements expand, the COVID-19 vaccine is becoming readily available for those 16 years and older. Vaccination should absolutely be mandatory for university students. What people fail to recognize is that vaccine medical clearance has been required by students for myriad conditions, including influenza and measles. If universities are perfectly comfortable requiring a flu shot, immunization for the far more deadly COVID-19 should not be a concern.

This is a timely issue as the CSU decision sets a precedent for other universities, like my own institution, still on the fence regarding vaccination mandates. As a UC Berkeley student, I have witnessed the danger of unvaccinated students seeing COVID-19 continue to spread across campus through gatherings. I eagerly await in-person classes, but not at the expense of community safety.

— Sofia Finestone, Berkeley