Dear Professor,
I am becoming increasingly concerned with the University's vaccination policy and lack of willingness to inform the student body of the risks involved. My medical exemption was denied after a back and forth process with Student Health Services trying to satisfty all their requirements. I spent additional money, time, and effort being reexamined by my doctor because my previous appointment (less then a year ago) was deemed not "recent" enough. The "recency" issue was never made clear resulting in an additional burden to me and my primary care physician.
Even after all that, my exemption was denied. I am entitled to informed consent and asked for the University physician to fill out a form that would help me become fully informed as to all the risks involved with taking the vaccine.
As you can see below Student Health Services has intentionally denied my request with a less then satisfactory answer. I am looking for substantive answers to the risks the University is asking me to take and the potential losses I am facing. Why can't these answers be given to me?
After the University denied my exemption they noted that "the choice or decision to be vaccinated rests with the student and/or parent in every instance." Is this a meaningful choice I have? I have roughly 100k in student loan debt, a scholarship, 65 credits of which other school's will not accept if I try to transfer, an unfinished degree, a family, and bills to pay. And I am asked to sacrifice all this or get vaccinated. I ask again: is this a meaningful choice? Do I have real options? Is this justice? Is this equittable?
I am being asked to put my career, livlihood, and health on the line and I can't get so much as 12 questions answered to be fully informed after all the time and money I have put forth thus far at this University.
I am deeply saddened after the collective struggle of this last year that the Unviersity has put another burden upon the shoulders of students. A burden that state law do not ask its citizens to bear. A policy more restrictive then every school in the surrounding area, leaving those with deeply held religious beliefs and those with valid medical issues, like myself, by the wayside. The University is prioritizing a select class of students and subgrogating the rest. In an awful turn of events, I am stuck in the crosshairs of this issue seeking a better understanding, and the response I recieved is insulting. I expect better from the University, I expect way better.
Please help me get informed consent, or better, please accept my medical exemption. I want to finish law school, it's been one of my greatest achievments. I love the students and faculty, and got a 3.4 GPA last semester. I am thriving here. And I just finished a rewarding internship at the Superior Court. I want to be a lawyer and advocate for others to help in these trying times.
Why am I being denied informed consent for a vaccine that was developed in under a year with short term and all long term side effects still unknown. That is a lot to ask of a person who is 27 years old with her life in front of her. The school is already masking up the vaccinated and other restrictions potentially coming. There is report after report of the vaccine failure. Credible doctors and scientists warnings being suppressed because it deviates from the mainstream narrative. 518,769 reported injuries since December 2020, 11,940 deaths, 40,000 hospitalizations. In 1972, with under 100 deaths the Swine Flu Vaccine was halted. What is going on here?
Further, a 3 year study of the VAERS system done by Harvard by request of the CDC noted, "fewer than 1% of vaccine adverse events are reported." If it's true the VAERS database reflects only 1% of total injury, that is appaling. There are 7,312 reports since December of severe migraine lasting months after the vaccination. My life has already been disrupted due to my struggle with chronic debilitating migraine pain which is one diagnosis I sought the exemption under. I also developed head tics after the HPV vaccine and subsequently developed severe anxiety attacks. Since divulging personal medical information is becoming the norm I figured I'd add that in here. I feel I am seriously putting my health at risk, and yet I am denied informed consent of the risks and liabilities involved.
Please help me stay in school. I am desperate. I want so bad to finish this last year and graduate. Help me get my exemption approved or atleast answer my questions in the form to accurately understand all the risks I am asked to take. Mulitple truths can exists at once. Mandating an experimental vaccine unilaterally is not protecting students. I am sure the administration has certains pressures, and I am sure having a Former Senior Vice President of Pfizer on the school board does not help but I ask of you to think of the students, and look at the tragectory America is headed and the risks you are asking us to take for a virus most of us have already had.
72.9% of Delawareans over 18 have already had one dose, and only 4.4% of cases are postive, with only 53 current hospitlizations in Delaware. Even still with those encouraging numbers, we are masking up again, and potentially locking down. Why?
This is a desperate plea as a student under your watch, and a student with unequal bargaining power to this administrative change. I am not happy I am being asked to sacrifice my livlihood, my health, and based on Student Health Services reponse, assume all responibilty and liability for potential injury. I want the students and the University to flourish and thrive, mandating a vaccine just opens potential litigation and creates a frustrated and neglected future alumni.
Respectfully and sincerely,
Publius