By Courtney Cole/ Managing Editor 

Since the world has been in a global pandemic for over a year, many people’s perspectives have changed on if they should or should not get the vaccine. At Missouri Valley College, campus officials are encouraging students to get the vaccine with prizes like electronics and gift cards. But are those incentives enough to make every student on campus get vaccinated?

Morgan Aitkens, a student from St Louis, does not have the vaccine because of family reasons. Her aunt got breast cancer after getting the vaccine and it made Aitkens rethink getting the shot herself.

When it comes to her family, they had no history of cancer. Aitkens’ mother is anti-vaccine and her aunt was not, and sees her sisters cancer diagnosis as a reason not to get the Covid vaccination. After Aitkens had a discussion with her mother, she decided not to get the vaccine either. 

Aitkens does not think the vaccine is pointless, she understands the reason why the elderly and people with weak immune systems are receiving the vaccine. She also does not like the fact that those who are vaccinated have to wear masks and social distance just like those who were not vaccinated. 

“So why would I get the vaccine if I’m gonna have to do the same thing if I was unvaccinated?” Aitkens said. 

Ashlynn Floyd, a junior on the Missouri Valley Women’s Soccer team, got the vaccine over the summer time to protect herself and the ones around her who are more susceptible to catching COVID-19. 

Floyd feels it is a personal option if people want to receive the vaccine or not, since everyone can react to the vaccine’s side effects differently. She does not think the vaccine is pointless because there needs to be a way to stop the virus from killing, spreading and hospitalizing thousands to millions of people around the world. 

In the end, Floyd feels as if the vaccine is doing its job in slowing down cases and trying to prevent people from catching the virus. Noticing such a drastic decrease in those that are vaccinated being hospitalized. She is hoping for things to go back to normal as soon as they can. 

“I feel like the vaccine is a small step towards getting somewhat back to normal,” Floyd said.