By Courtney Cole/ Delta Staff Writer 

Now more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, a vaccine is available to help fight against the virus. Students and staff at Missouri Valley College have been given the chance to sign up on the list to be a part of one of the phases to receive the vaccine via the Saline County Health Department and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

A poll of 100 students MVC asked if they would take the vaccine if it was available to them and the results showed that students are almost evenly divided on the issue. Of the 100 people surveyed, 60 percent said they would most definitely take the vaccine if it was offered to them.  

Trinity Van Gels, who is part of the Missouri Valley Women’s Lacrosse Team, said she would not take the vaccine if it was available to her. She does not believe in the COVID-19 vaccine because she does not want to be a test dummy.

Van Gels said she would rather have other people take the vaccine and see the results from other individuals before she takes it for herself. She would also rather have scientists do more research on the vaccine before she wants to have it in her body. She is just scared that the vaccine will cause bad side effects that would be life lasting. 

Van Gels said her father works in a hospital as a head of building operations, but he has yet received the vaccine. She said the only way that she will take the vaccine is if they force her dad to take it and that leads to her family having to take it as a whole. 

On the other end of the spectrum is Tess Kinne, who is part of the Women’s wrestling team. She said she would most definitely take the vaccine and that she is just waiting to get the call. She was one of the students who signed up for the list to get the vaccine.

Kinne said her main reason for wanting the vaccine is because she wants to feel safe around others such as when she is at the campus or back home in Kansas City. She said she is hopeful that receiving the vaccine will help things go somewhat back to normal.

Kinne’s family, who stays in Jackson County, are also on board with receiving the vaccine. They are waiting for their names to be called on the list. She has full trust in the government knowing that they want the best for their people especially within Biden in office.

“I am ready to get this vaccine and start to live life again,” Kinne said.