Coronavirus Watch: Will colleges require vaccinations? Some already have

As vaccine eligibility requirements continue to expand to younger demographics, getting a shot could soon be a requirement at some college campuses come the fall.

In fact, plans for a vaccine mandate have already been announced at Rutgers University and Cornell University, where students will need to get inoculated to study in-person during the fall semester.

Antonio Calcado, Rutger's chief operating officer, sees three good reasons to require student vaccinations. One, their population interacts with others often. Two, they tend to be mobile. And three, safety precautions may not be students' top concern.

It's Wednesday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's more news to know today, as of 3:30 p.m. EDT.

• Nearly half of new coronavirus infections nationwide are in just five states: New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The issue has prompted some officials to push the federal government to send more doses to hot spots, though the White House has not changed its distribution plans.
• Vaccines could cause some skin reactions such as rashes, but they aren't dangerous, a new study says.
• The European Union’s drug regulator says it found a “possible link” between the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has not been authorized in the U.S., and a rare clotting disorder. But the agency said the benefits of the shot still outweigh risks.
• Is it seasonal allergies or COVID-19? Use this visual explainer to compare the symptoms.

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– Jay Cannon, Paste BN Network, Wires Editor, @JayTCannon on Twitter