RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Commonwealth University announced Monday that they will no longer require students to be vaccinated or boosted against COVID-19.
Our high vaccination rates and ongoing mitigation efforts – combined with the recent legal opinion from the Attorney General for the Commonwealth that COVID-19 vaccines cannot be required for students – has led VCU to end requiring student vaccinations and boosters for the spring semester.
However, VCU said that due to federal requirements, students who are currently or periodically in hospitals, clinics or other healthcare settings will be required to follow the guidelines of their placement sites.
VCU said for students who are not in those settings, the Feb. 1 deadline to report vaccine booster status will no longer be required.
COVID-19 vaccine holds will be removed from student accounts and surveillance testing for non-vaccinated students will end.
Last week, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyaresissued a legal opinion saying that state colleges and universities in Virginia cannot require students to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“I conclude that, absent specific authority conferred by the General Assembly, public institutions of higher education in Virginia may not require vaccination against COVID-19 as a general condition of students’ enrollment or in-person attendance,” Miyares wrote.
VCU's requirement to wear masks while indoors throughout the university will continue.
For more information on guidelines, click hereto read VCU's update.
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