U of R to require students to get COVID-19 vaccine

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The University of Rochester is requiring all undergraduate and graduate students who will be on campus during the 2021-22 academic year to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The requirement will apply to students who live on and off-campus.

The university is allowing medical or religious exemptions. The deadline to request an exemption was July 15, but students can still complete the request form and submit it through UHS Connect.

Students will need to upload proof of vaccination through UHS Connect by Aug. 1.

U of R is requiring that students receive a vaccine that has been granted emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Students who received a vaccine that the FDA has not granted emergency use authorization will be given an opportunity to receive a vaccine that the FDA has granted emergency use authorization.

By Aug. 16, any student who is not vaccinated and has not received an exemption, or who doesn’t intend to be vaccinated upon arrival, will have their classes removed from their schedule and a registration hold will be placed on the student record until the student completes the vaccination requirements.

Aug. 31 is the deadline to request 100% financial reimbursement.

Fully vaccinated students are not currently required to wear face masks indoor or outdoors in most places on campus, but the university says that could change depending on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or New York State Department of Health guidelines.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people, even if they have an exemption, will have to wear masks on campus.

Masks are also required in clinical areas on the Medical Center campus or inside the UHS building on River Campus.