The State University of New York will no longer require students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend its 64 campuses across the state. The announcement was made Tuesday by SUNY Chancellor John King, Jr., who says the decision is effective for summer courses and coincides with the official end of the national public health emergency by President Joe Biden’s administration on Monday. Moving forward, SUNY is still strongly encouraging students to get COVID-19 vaccinations, consistent with other viruses, including influenza and monkeypox. Faculty and staff will also be encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations.
SUNY Chancellor King says, “The safety of SUNY’s students is our first and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us. Across SUNY, we will continue to monitor cases and make adjustments as needed, but even more importantly, we will look to increase the overall health and wellness support we provide our students.”
The decision came at the recommendation of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee, which is comprised of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health, and neuroscience. The group was convened earlier this year to collect and review data on vaccinations, as well as trends in infection rates from newer variants. SUNY also worked with State health officials in making this decision.
