UC Schools Likely To Require Students, Staff To Be Vaccinated To Return In Fall
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – All University of California schools will likely require that their students and staff be vaccinated in order to return to campus when the fall term begins.
Regent Eloy Oritz Oakley told the San Francisco Chronicle Tuesday that UC President Michael Drake plans to move forward with the mandate. There are 10 campuses in the UC system.
Back in April, the UC System said it would wait until at least one of the three coronavirus vaccines has received full approval from the Food and Drug Administration in order to issue the requirement. At this point, all three vaccines have only received emergency authorization from the FDA. However, based on the efficacy of the vaccines, the UC System is reversing course and planning to move forward with the requirement prior to full approval.
"The consultation period recently ended with strong support within the university community, including faculty and student health physician directors, to move forward with a vaccination requirement," the UC said in a statement to CBSLA Tuesday.
In a letter sent out to UC chancellors last week, Drake said the decision was being made public now in order "to give everyone as much time as possible to comply with this policy."
Students, faculty and staff will be required to have received their second vaccine at least two weeks before they are scheduled to return to campus. Certain medical and religious exemptions will be allowed.
It's unclear if the California State University system will follow suit and also require vaccinations for its 23 campuses.
In April, USC said it would require vaccinations for its students and staff as well in the fall.
