Incoming freshman Olivia Sandor has been denied entry into Brigham Young University-Hawaii (BYUH) because she cannot take the COVID-19 vaccine as a result of a potentially vaccine-induced condition.
Sandor shared her story on both Instagram and TikTok. The girl described how she was admitted to BUY, a “school of her dreams,” in March. In June, BUY announced it will be mandating all students to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend classes, which was not something Sandor could comply with. She said she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disorder known as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in February 2019, which was caused by another vaccine. The healthy teenager was paralyzed from the waist down for over a month, leading her to believe she would never walk again.
Sandor was healed of her paralysis as she laid in a hospital bed thanks to what she considers an act of God. However, Sandor says that because of her condition she is “not able to be vaccinated” because it could cause “permanent paralysis, and possibly death if it spread up my body.” “This is not a choice for me,” she maintained.
Speaking on Fox News anchor Sean Hannity’s program on Monday night, Sandor explained how she’d requested a medical exemption from the school’s vaccination requirement after her team of medical providers advised against her getting the COVID-19 shot.
The exemption letter written by Sandor’s doctor, and made public by conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA (TPUSA), reads in part: “Because of [Sandor’s] medical history I believe a COVID vaccine or another influenza vaccine will endanger her health and possibly her life” and that she “should avoid those vaccines indefinitely.”
Despite the fact that her doctors said that vaccines could lead to her being paralyzed again or lead to death, the university denied her exemption and told Sandor to re-enroll after getting vaccinated.
The denial e-mail sent to Sandor states: “After careful consideration of your request for a medical exemption, we regret that we cannot accommodate your request.”
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The University argues that due to its “unique location, diverse student population, and daily interaction with international tourists at the Polynesian Cultural Center,” they must take “extra precautions to protect our campus and community.”
The university also encouraged Sandor to consider attending BYUH when she is able to be “fully vaccinated” or to “consider attendance at one of [their] other church universities.”
At the same time, the university’s policy leaves it up to its employees to decide on getting vaccinated, even though it is “strongly encouraged.”
Sandor and her family got in touch with the president of BYUH, who said her case would be re-reviewed by the medical board, but four days later, the board denied an exemption once again, saying Sandor still need to get vaccinated with one of the mRNA vaccines since it is only the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that has a supposed link to developing GBS. The girl, however, did not agree to jeopardize her health and life.
Some vaccines, including the COVID-19 shots, are believed to possibly trigger GBS. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not include a history of GBS as a precaution for vaccination.
Sandor says the risk of taking a vaccine does not outweigh a purported benefit. “Despite what the internet says, I truly believe that the vaccine is not meant for me,” Sandor said during her interview. “And if you feel that it’s necessary for you to get vaccinated, then by all means; I have nothing against you. But I do not feel that those with medical exemptions should be pushed to have this vaccine.”
The student expressed she doesn’t “have anywhere to turn” for her future after receiving her denial just a month before the school starts and losing out on a crucial financial scholarship that amounted for $200,000.
TPUSA, which shared Sandor’s story and the stories of others at BYUH who are unable to attend the university because of their vaccination status, calls the school’s policy “anti-science and anti-student.” The organization also has started a “No Forced Vax” campaign to help students who are being forced to choose between receiving the vaccine or their ability to attend school.
Many American colleges and universities are mandating the experimental vaccine for in-person learning this fall, despite evidence of dangerous possible side effects. Many international colleges, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Columbia, and Cornell will be requiring their students and staff to be vaccinated.
On Monday, in a first ruling of its kind, a federal judge stated students must comply with a universities’ vaccine mandates.
