COVID-19 Vaccine May Be Mandatory for All UC and CSU Students
Faculty and Staff Would Also Be Included in Proposed Policy Change
Both the University of California and California State University systems announced a proposed policy to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, staff, and faculty who will be working or studying on campus this fall, the latest move to prepare for the shift to in-person instruction.
“Together, the CSU and UC enroll and employ more than one million students and employees across 33 major university campuses, so this is the most comprehensive and consequential university plan for COVID-19 vaccines in the country,” said CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro in a statement.
The requirement could go into effect either at the beginning of the fall 2021 term, or when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fully approves the vaccine, whichever occurs later. The Pfzier and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are currently being distributed under an emergency-use authorization by the FDA.
Under the proposal, students planning to be on campus next fall would have to update their immunization documentation or provide an approved exception or medical exemption.
The vaccination requirement would also allow for the further reopening of campuses, along with continued safety requirements of physical distancing and mask wearing, according to Castro’s statement.
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