The Union of Upper Secondary School Students has issued a demand that pop-up coronavirus vaccination points be set up in high schools in an effort to secure on-site learning and increase the vaccine coverage of young people.
The pop-up stations could facilitate the vaccination of students without an appointment, for example during a break or a gap between lessons, the union said, adding that it believes vaccine appointments should also be an acceptable reason to be away from class.
"We see that this would be a much needed opportunity with a low threshold to increase vaccine coverage for young people, seeing that a large number of young people have not yet received the first dose of the vaccine," President of the Association of High School Students, Emilia Uljas said.
The opportunity to get the vaccine spontaneously at school would make it easier for younger groups to get vaccinated, Uljas said, adding that "young people would then not need to plan their schedule around a vaccination appointment."
Coronavirus infections are currently on the rise, especially among young adults. However, Uljas told Yle it is unfair that discussions around the surge in cases typically point the finger of blame at younger age groups.
"Young people were left last in the vaccination queue and now people complain that not all young people have gotten the vaccine. Of course they have not, as they haven't even had the opportunity to get the vaccine for as long as older people have been able to," the union president said, but added that she is pleased to see people taking a stand in favour of contact teaching since the emergence of rumours that the new school year will see distance learning resume.
"Young people have suffered terribly from this pandemic. Being able to go to school is really the least that can be done for young people at this point," she concluded.