Planning to go to CBC or another WA college? Might as well get your COVID shot now

Tri-City high school seniors planning to go to college next year should take note: You must be vaccinated against COVID-19 if you want to attend class in-person at just about every college and university in Washington state.

So if going to college is part of your future plans, why wait to get the vaccine?

Might as well get your shots early and do your part to help slow the spread of the disease — especially now that the omicron variant has emerged in other parts of the world and in the United States.

While much is still unknown about this new coronavirus strain, the World Health Organization has labeled omicron a variant of concern. Life may be feeling more “normal” than last year at this time, but it’s a sure bet that concerns over COVID aren’t going away any time soon.

And just recently Columbia Basin College has affirmed it will join the growing list of Washington colleges requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID.

The requirement is in place for winter quarter, and CBC will restrict students who don’t comply from registering for spring quarter.

Those students who want to continue taking courses solely online won’t have to comply with the new rule. But those who want to see their instructors face-to-face will — unless they have a medical or religious exemption.

This is the right call by CBC officials.

Last spring, Washington State University became the first of the state’s major public four-year schools to announce that it would require students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The University of Washington, Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University, Western Washington University, and The Evergreen State College followed suit. And you would be hard-pressed to find a private college or a community college in Washington state that isn’t doing the same.

Now CBC finally will be in line with the other colleges in the state.

CBC officials said the majority of students will remain online when the winter quarter starts next year. About 20% of classes at the school are being held in-person already, with protocols for students to follow — like getting their temperature checked when they arrive on campus.

College campuses can be a hotbed for spreading germs, and viruses can spread quickly because young adults tend to want to spend time with one another in groups.

But during the pandemic, school officials had to rein in those types of gatherings. Online learning ended up being a lonely experience for many students who had been looking forward to going to college and making new friends.

So the more in-person classes held at CBC the better. But they must be held safely.

Requiring students to prove they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 is the best way to ensure that.