Campus has been looking a little more normal recently. 

Food lines at the Rhatigan Student Center, people filling the halls waiting for a classroom and students complaining about the parking hassle. 

But will it stay this way?

The pandemic is an ever-changing situation. Just a few months ago the Delta variant was not a concern for Kansans. Now, masks are becoming enforced at more and more places because of the rise in those specific cases.

According to the CDC, the Delta variant is more than 2x as contagious as other variants of COVID-19. Some data suggests that this variant can cause even more severe infection than the common strain. 

According to the Sedgwick County COVID dashboard, 177 people were hospitalized in the county with the virus, which is the most the county has had since January. This pandemic isn’t over, even if you want it to be.

But good for us, we have the vaccine.

The vaccine is safe, effective and widely available for anyone who wants it. For those who don’t want to leave campus, all you have to do is take a quick trip to the Student Wellness Center at the Steve Clark YMCA to get your two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

While the vaccine does not 100% prevent you from contracting the COVID-19 virus, it protects you from severe cases and keeps you out of the hospital. This vaccine saves lives.

For those who are still hesitant about receiving the vaccine because of the effectiveness of vaccines in general — Do you hear of polio cases anymore? What about smallpox? 

Both of those viruses are not a problem anymore because of vaccinations.

If you’ve already been immunized, thank you. You have done your part in putting an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For those who haven’t, do your research. Find your facts from credible sources, not from a news site you’ve never heard of before or from a facebook post. 

By getting the vaccine, you are helping others. You are protecting yourself. You are helping the hospital numbers get lower. You are showing respect for your family members, friends, classmates, health care workers and everyone else affected by this pandemic.

Professional health care workers have said it time and time again: Herd immunity is the only way for us to end this pandemic. And the best way to reach herd immunity is to get vaccinated. 

Vaccines aren’t political. So why are people making it that way?

You have the means to fight the virus at your fingertips. You have scientific evidence that can back up the safety of the vaccine. It’s that easy to protect yourself and save a life. 

Care about others. Protect your neighbor. Do your part and get vaccinated.