FLORIDA — As vaccine eligibility is expanding across the country some colleges and universities are requiring shots for students to return to in person learning in the fall.

News 13 reached out to UCF, Valencia College, Stetson University, and Rollins College and all say they will not have a coronavirus vaccine requirement for their students.

Infectious disease doctors, though, say they should. 

This year Stetson University only has about 25% of their student body attending classes on campus.

One of them is second-year political-science major Sally Hornik. While on campus she has to wear a mask, can’t have a roommate in her dorm, and has seen her class sizes cut in half.

“I know some students are still at home virtually, but I got to come back and I know it sucks for them," Hornik said. "Right now I don’t mind it, I wish it was more in person.”

On Monday, Hornik and her classmates will become eligible for a coronavirus vaccine. According to infectious disease specialist Dr. Syed Ahmed, all students attending school should be vaccinated because of how dynamic their lifestyles are.

“They are the ones who gather indoors and outdoors," Ahmed, from the Poinciana Medical Center, said. "They are at high risk of spreading infection from one person to another, so they all should be vaccinated.”

Problem is, Hornik, isn’t in a major rush to attend a vaccination site.

“I’ve got tested — every single time, I come back negative," she said. "The way I see it is, why would I get a vaccine if history has proven that I don’t have a reason to?”

According to Ahmed, if the 18-25 year old age group takes this stance with out a vaccination mandate, then history could repeat itself with the ongoing pandemic.

“If not all of them get vaccinated, then there will be higher chances of persisting infection in the USA,” he said.

As long as a vaccine isn’t required, Hornik said she is going to continue her new normal.

“I’m going to hold out on the vaccine as long as I can," she said. "If it ever becomes mandated, I will cross the bridge when it gets there.”

As of now, that bridge isn’t being crossed for any area schools.

Many of the schools and universities websites say they would like to have a fully vaccinated campus, but state vaccines will not be mandatory.

As of now here are on-campus plans for enrollment in the fall for these four schools:

• UCF and Rollins officials say they would like to lift capacity restrictions and return to in-person learning.
• Valencia officials say they are still reviewing plans for the summer.
• Stetson officials say it will likely be 50% of their student body back but that is still being reviewed.

All schools did tell Spectrum News 13 that wearing masks in the class rooms will likely continue.