I am opposed to the establishment of a mandate requiring a COVID vaccine for school employees or students. There are both protections and treatments available which can mitigate the impact of this disease sufficiently without mandating a vaccine, particularly a vaccine that for all its benefit still has significant negative potential impact far broader than most vaccines. The rate of severe consequences simply does not demand such an intrusive demand, especially when the vaccines given have not been through the volume of testing and evaluation normally required. Such a mandate reflects unhealthy exercise of power and grows out of a one-sided consideration of available information and, in too many cases, an unreasonable fear.