The University of California and California State University announced that they intend to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, faculty, and staff working on campus this fall, once the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) gives formal approval to antigens and supplies are sufficiently available.
The directive is the largest of its kind in higher education in the United States, affecting more than 1 million members of the two public university systems. More than five dozen colleges across the country have already announced that they will require vaccination to enroll this fall, including Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd in Claremont.
But UC and Cal State have yet to take that step because of questions about the legality of requesting the antigens for enrollment before they have been formally approved by the FDA. Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are distributed under emergency use authorization, although health experts await formal approval of at least one of them in the fall. The Johnson & Johnson / Janssen antigen is on hiatus due to blood clot concerns.
As with other mandatory vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox, the provision for COVID-19 would allow students or employees to seek an exemption on medical or religious grounds.
“Together, CSU and UC enroll and employ more than 1 million students and workers on 33 major campuses, making this the most comprehensive and consistent college plan for COVID-19 vaccines in the country,” he noted. Cal State Chancellor Joseph I. Castro.
UC President and Physician Michael V. Drake said vaccines are a “key step people can take to protect themselves, their friends and family, as well as our campus communities while helping put an end to the pandemic ”.
The two system leaders said they were making the announcement now to give students, families and employees ample time to plan their vaccinations before fall terms begin. They will discuss the immunization plan with students, teachers, and unions prior to any implementation.
“The state of California has been a leader in the administration of vaccines against COVID-19, and Californians who received a dose have led to a significant reduction in the transmission of the virus in our state,” explained Castro. “Continued surveillance will further mitigate the spread of the disease that has radically altered our lives over the past year. We will continue to strongly encourage all members of our respective university communities to receive the antigen against COVID-19 as soon as it is available to them. “
Both UC and Cal State plan in-person classes and activities for this fall, although the grade will vary by campus.
At Claremont McKenna College, President Hiram Chodosh announced this month that all students will need to be fully immunized before returning to campus this fall. Those not inoculated, exempted for medical or religious reasons, for example, would be tested for the coronavirus twice a week. In addition, the campus plans “limited, infrequent randomized community testing and sequencing to decipher any unexpected risks of resistant variants,” he noted.
“It is now clear that a fully vaccinated community is the best way to reduce, and eventually eliminate, future restrictions, and to fully restore our in-person experience,” Chodosh said in his message to the campus community.
Immunizations are not required for K-12 schools because they are not yet approved for children under the age of 16.
In California, COVID-19 transmission and virus-related hospitalizations are low and antigens are on the rise. More than 32% of the state has been fully vaccinated and more than 44% have received at least one dose, according to federal and state data. While those numbers continue to grow, a large chunk of the population has yet to get a chance.
Health experts believe that herd immunity – protection against the virus that occurs when a massive population has achieved immunity through infection or vaccination – may be a long way off. But the idea of antigen passports or requirements to have been inoculated to access certain spaces, such as school campuses or workplaces, could replicate that concept.
Some experts say requiring student vaccinations will make a significant advance in containing the pandemic, as youth in social gatherings have led to spikes in COVID-19 at USC and UC Berkeley, among other campuses.
While there has been no state or federal mandate directing residents to receive an emergency licensed COVID-19 vaccine, there have already been indications that evidence of inoculation may be required at times. California recently allowed indoor live performances and events to occur for counties at the red, orange, or yellow tiers. Evidence of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test is required to enter.
If you want to read this article in Spanish, click here.
–
