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Rutgers University is making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory.
Ahead of the return to classes in the fall semester, the university announced that students must have the vaccine unless they are enrolled in fully remote degree programs or online-only classes.
Students can also request exemption from the vaccine for medical or religious reasons.
“We are committed to health and safety for all members of our community, and adding COVID-19 vaccination to our student immunization requirements will help provide a safer and more robust college experience for our students,” Rutgers president Jonathan Holloway said in a statement.
Faculty and staff are also being urged to get the vaccine when it is available.
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“The COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe and effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death,” said Brian Strom, chancellor of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences and executive vice president for health affairs at Rutgers. “Vaccination is key to stopping the current pandemic and to the return of campus instruction and activities closer to what we were accustomed to before the pandemic drastically changed life at Rutgers.
“We urge all members of our community to pre-register for the vaccine on the state COVID-19 website to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity and the first available location.”
Vaccines are expected to be available to all adults by May 1, according to President Joe Biden.
