University Of The Pacific Students Returning To Campus By Summer, Fall Will Need COVID-19 Vaccine
STOCKTON (CBS13) — The University of the Pacific is joining other California colleges in requiring that students be vaccinated for COVID-19 in order to return to campus.
Officials say the requirements will go into effect for students by the start of the summer and fall sessions. All of Pacific's campuses will have the vaccine requirement, including Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco.
"Our decision is predicated on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health agency guidance and the recommendation of our university COVID-19 Council of scientists, researchers and health professionals," said Maria Pallavicini, Pacific provost and COVID-19 Council chair, in a statement.
The school says students will have the option to have the vaccine requirement waived for medical or religious reasons.
Both the University of California and the California State University system have also proposed a new policy that would require students and staff to get a COVID-19 vaccine by fall.
The UC and CSU requirement is contingent on one of the currently available vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson) moving from emergency authorization to full approval by the FDA.
Pacific has set several deadlines for students, requiring those coming to the back to the San Francisco campus to be fully vaccinated by July 6. Students participating in "Back to Pacific: Ready, Set, Roar!" Need to be vaccinated by July 15.
Finally, Pacific students returning to the Stockton and Sacramento campuses need to be fully vaccinated by Aug. 1.
The full list of Pacific's vaccine requirements are detailed on the school's website.
