As we continue to see the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the United States and the rest of the world, a light is on the horizon. As vaccination rates increase and infection rates decrease across the country, the focus shifts to life after getting vaccinated and life post-COVID. 

Very soon, schools will fully reopen, businesses will open and restaurants will reopen at 100% capacity. The question facing America now is whether or not citizens should be compelled to show proof of vaccination before entering a store or any other establishment in order to guarantee the safety of everyone inside. Vaccinations prevent people from getting very sick and going to hospitals if they get the virus; however, getting vaccinated is only half the battle. If the unvaccinated contract the virus, they can spread the virus more. The only way to fully eradicate viruses is to compel vaccination and require people to get vaccine passports. 

The fastest way to move forward past the pandemic is to vaccine all Americans against COVID-19. Some Americans hesitate to get a vaccine for various reasons. Some do not trust vaccines because of past history surrounding the African-American population and medical experiments. 

Hesitancy to get the vaccine does not only apply to the African-American population. Others do not trust the vaccine because they believe in Q and believe various conspiracy theories about implanting chips and other nonsense. The only way to move forward and dispel these fears is to educate the public. For example, believers in Q should be convinced by the former President Donald Trump to get vaccinated. If he joined with President Joe Biden in promoting the vaccine, less of his supporters may be hesitant to get the vaccine in the first place. 

Vaccine passports would slow or stop the spread of COVID-19 and allow more people to enter private businesses. Vaccine passports would allow businesses to open safely without fear of having infected people transmitting the virus to workers and other patrons. Vaccine passports for all diseases would make schools a much safer place. With the rise of the anti-vaxxer movement, cases of measles and other formerly exterminated viruses are on the rise. Mandatory vaccines for schooling would improve the health of students and teachers alike. 

The most difficult part of the COVID-19 pandemic for seniors has been not being able to visit the colleges that they are applying to. Applying for an early decision to a college on the West Coast was one of the hardest decisions for me to make, primarily because I had never been to Los Angeles or even California. I do not know if I will like the feel of the campus or if I will even be on campus in the fall. I am hoping that being fully vaccinated, as of May 13, allows me to be on campus. Currently, 42.2% of Americans or 139,978,480 people have their first vaccine dose and 28.5% of Americans or 94,772,329 people have their second vaccine dose.