UMass Medical School Requiring Faculty And Staff To Get COVID Vaccine By September 7
WORCESTER (CBS) -- UMass Medical School has become the latest institution to announce a COVID vaccine requirement for faculty and staff in the fall.
The school announced Wednesday morning that all faculty and staff have to provide proof of vaccination by September 7. The proof of vaccination requirement was already in place for students.
UMass Medical School says if proof of vaccination is not provided by that date, employee ID badges will be deactivated, which will restrict access to campus. Also, employees without at least one dose of the COVID vaccine by September 7 may be let go.
The school says medical and religious exemptions will be considered.
"This step reflects our highest priority, which is to protect the health and safety of our campus and broader communities," the school said in statement. "The decision follows months of thoughtful deliberation and monitoring of the pandemic; evaluation of data, including infection trends; and, more recently, the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant."
Faculty, staff, and students will still be required to follow campus COVID-19 protocols, such as wearing masks indoors.