St. John Fisher has become the latest local college to require a COVID-19 vaccine for all students and staff for the upcoming academic year.
President Gerard Rooney posted a note online saying that all members of the campus community who will be on campus for the upcoming academic year must be fully vaccinated by August 1.
Religious and medical exemptions will be considered, and additional accommodations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Unvaccinated students and employees who have a medical or religious exemption will be permitted on campus, but will be required to follow St. John Fisher’s policies for unvaccinated individuals.
Other local colleges and universities that have similar policies include the University of Rochester, RIT and Nazareth College.
Last month, Gov.Andrew Cuomo said that SUNY will require proof of vaccination for all students attending in-person classes this fall, but that is contingent on the federal government granting full approval to the vaccines now in use. Right now, those vaccines are being given out through emergency use authorization.
