Rutgers says students should be vaccinated to return to campus

Take note of President Biden vow To make every adult in the US eligible for a vaccine by early summer, Rutgers University in New Jersey said Thursday that all students need to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus to allow them to return to campus in the fall.

“Adding a Covid-19 vaccine to our student immunization requirements will help provide a safer and more effective university experience for our students,” said Jonathan Holloway, president of Rutgers University. The current situation. The university, one of the largest in the country, is believed to be among the first to require students to receive a coronavirus vaccine.

This requirement will apply to Rutgers’ three main campuses, in New Brunswick, Newark and Camden. Starting in the fall, students will be required to show “evidence of vaccination” before moving into housing or attending personal lessons.

Depending on the university, students can apply for an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Those who attend fully online or off-campus programs will also be exempt. The university has it More than 70,000 students81 percent of them are New Jersey residents.

Governor Phil Murphy this month said that The country will have sufficient vaccine supplies “Almost everyone” by May. He has set a goal of ensuring that 70 percent of the state’s adult population is vaccinated in the next six months.

Rutgers plans to open a vaccination center as soon as more doses become available. Dory Devlin, a spokeswoman for the university, said the college is still making plans for how vaccinated and unvaccinated students will interact.

Even with the new requirements, the university said, students at the Rutgers campus will be required to practice social distancing and use face coverings. All faculty, staff, and students on campus will be required to participate in the university’s testing program. The university expects to continue offering some hybrid courses to prevent overcrowding in the classrooms in the next academic year, Ms. Devlin said.

University leaders they have It was not mandatory for faculty and staff to be vaccinated But he “strongly urged” them to do so before the fall.