More than half of unvaccinated students in the country lie about their vaccination status to avoid vaccine mandates at their universities, a survey commissioned by Intelligent.com has found.
Of the 1,250 students who participated in the study, 55 percent admitted that they falsify information when their schools’ admissions committee asks if they have received a COVID-19 shot.
Respondents said they often lie about having a medical or religious exemption to attend in-person classes if they have not been vaccinated.
Furthermore, 46 percent of respondents admitted to creating or purchasing fake vaccination cards as “proof” of vaccination.
The survey also found that five in 10 unvaccinated students lie about their vaccination status to their peers to avoid being shamed, excluded, or pressured to get vaccinated.
‘More Prevalent Among Certain Demographics’
The website revealed that lying about vaccination status appears to be more prevalent among certain males, at 61 percent, than females, at 41 percent.
In terms of race, 65 percent of those admitted to lying are Asian American, 60 percent are White, 48 percent are Hispanic/Latino, and 40 percent are Black.
Meanwhile, some respondents say their universities do not require students to submit proof of vaccination, so they easily lie verbally or through a written statement about being vaccinated.
Universities Fight Back
A number of higher education institutions are aware that some of their students lie about being vaccinated. To address such issues, many colleges conduct verification of documents submitted by students.
The University of Illinois, for example, explained that its McKinley Health Center conducts checks of students’ vaccine information. Meanwhile, the California State University system requires students to sign an addendum ensuring the accuracy of information they are providing.
At Washington State University, students are reminded of the potential penalties for providing false COVID-19 verification documents. The school said it is illegal to submit fraudulent or counterfeit vaccine cards.
“Any student found to have submitted fraudulent or counterfeit records, or false, misleading or dishonest information about their vaccination status, medical need for exemption, or their sincerely held religious beliefs will be referred to the Center for Community Standards. Consequences may include, but are not limited to, expulsion from the university,” the university said through its website.