Students on and near campus discussed their views on vaccines after BYU’s various vaccine clinics and initiatives.
With flu season in full swing, various clinics have advertised their vaccine checkups. Though students may be aware of typical pharmacy services, like Walgreens, BYU also offered various vaccination services throughout the fall semester.
“I normally don’t get vaccines, except for, like, every five years because there will usually be new studies and then I’ve gotten the updated versions of the vaccines,” BYU student Jaxon Gilbert said.
Though Gilbert did not describe himself as anti-vax, he was frank about not necessarily being up to date on typically annual vaccinations, like the flu vaccine.
“I guess I just don’t get them because I don’t feel an urgent need to get flu shots every year,” Gilbert said.
Gilbert shared his perspective and experiences in a roundtable-like discussion on vaccines with his roommates.
“I think [vaccines] can be used to help prevent diseases or make them more treatable,” Ethan Astle, Gilbert’s roommate and UVU student, said.
Astle described himself as pro-vaccinations during this conversation.
“I think the last time I got a vaccine was for a flu shot last year. But I haven’t gotten vaccinated yet this year — but I probably will,” Astle said.
In a separate conversation, BYU Hawaii student Addison Stone shared her perspective.
“I got vaccines when I was a kid. Once I got older and started learning about medicinal stuff, I stayed away from modern medicine and got more into natural medicine,” Stone said.
Stone described herself as anti-vax, opting for alternative methods to fight off infections that vaccines are meant to stave off.
“If you take care of your body, eat healthy, workout regularly, work on mental and physical health, you can fight off diseases … our bodies are built to fight off diseases and infections if we give them the right things,” Stone said.
In contrast to Stone’s views, BYU graduate Becca Livingston discussed her pro-vaccination views.
“Honestly, whatever viruses vaccines are protecting, I think it’s beneficial. We’ve come so far scientifically with vaccines to protect our bodies and communities,” she said.
During these conversations, Gilbert, Stone and Livingston each shared personal experiences supporting their various views.
“I did a blind vaccine for Pfizer. I didn’t know what it was, but it was either a COVID vaccine or a flu vaccine. At the end of the study I found out that it was both vaccines, but with a higher dose,” Gilbert shared.
Gilbert participated in this blind Pfizer vaccine study in 2024. However he did not anticipate the reactions he would get from his peers when he would share the experience shortly afterward.
“I did it because I got paid, like, over $500 and I thought ‘this is fun, I’ll do it.’ But a lot of people were like ‘I can’t believe you did that,’” Gilbert said.
Gilbert shared this experience as an example of being proactive with vaccines with a sense of urgency in correlation with advances in the technology.
However, Stone shared her frustrations with medical advancements and professionals that began when her father was battling cancer.
“The doctors and nurses didn’t know anything about the body. They just know chemical components. My dad went through years of treatment and chemo but never got better,” Stone said.
Stone shared that she spent this time researching holistic healing methods. When her father beat cancer, she developed her philosophy on natural healing.
“He completely changed his diet and his cancer went away completely. So I’m a firm believer that natural is the way to go,” Stone said.
On the other side of the perspectives, Livingston shared her most recent experience with getting vaccinated.
“I literally got my vaccine about two weeks ago. My sister just had a baby and she wanted all of us, before we came and saw the baby, to be up to date on our flu vaccine and Tdap,” Livingston said.
According to the CDC, the Tdap vaccine prevents tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
Each of these young adults also shared their frustrations about the controversies surrounding vaccines. Gilbert’s discussion with his roommates turned to skepticisms surrounding anti-vax views toward corporations that commission vaccines.
“From my perspective, avoiding vaccines is actually bad for you instead of better for you. I just don’t understand why people tend to be so against them, especially when so much money and effort is put into them by people at the top of their field,” Astle said.
Stone shared her own skepticisms toward these corporations.
“I wish the other side would deep dive into big Pharma and see who owns it and why they stopped using natural things in the 80s,” Stone said.
In turn, Livingston blamed the politicized notions around vaccines for the contention surrounding them.
“There are such extreme views, even on the act of being vaccinated rather than just what diseases people are getting vaccinated for. Unfortunately, it’s all been so politicized,” Livingston said.
Livingston then shared her thoughts on her own proactivity in staying up to date on her vaccinations.
“Growing up, I was a lot better about getting my vaccines. But the last couple years, I haven’t been as good about it,” she said.
Livingston shared that her lack of motivation to get vaccinated could be a shared amongst university students.
“It’s hard on students to be bogged down in their schedule, whether it’s classes and studying and homework and jobs and any extracurricular activities,” she said.
Despite these bogged down attitudes, BYU has consistently provided vaccination services to its students. Such services in 2025 included the Adult Immunization Clinic, an HR flu shot clinic, an immunization website in development and the BYU Student Health Center.
When informed about these services, Gilbert and his roommates erupted in shock over not hearing about them prior to their discussion.
“I have not even heard about these clinics. Where are they? The Wilk? I used to have a class in the Wilk. So back then I’d be more up to date on this kind of stuff. But not really anymore,” Gilbert said.
Livingston also wasn’t aware of the services BYU provides.
“I had never considered BYU as a resource for getting vaccinated,” she said.
Livingston then discussed what she thought would improve students’ motivations surrounding up to date vaccines and BYU’s services.
“Visibility is key. Especially leading up to it. If students aren’t in centric areas like the Wilk or the library, they won’t know about it. I didn’t even go to the Wilk that often when I was a student,” she said.
If students aren’t intending to utilize any vaccination services provided by BYU, walk-in vaccinations are available at local pharmacies such as Walmart, Walgreens and CVS.