COVID-19 Update: Fall Vaccination Requirements

Email highlights

• Prior to Sept. 1, complete the CDC’s recommended COVID-19 vaccination schedule and upload your vaccination record. If needed, you can receive a vaccination on campus.
• All those who need to request exemption from the vaccination requirement—even if you’ve submitted a request previously—must submit a new request prior to the fall term.
• Additional requirements, such as face coverings and additional testing, may be required of those not up to date on vaccinations, but only in certain COVID-19 campus alert levels.
• Both those who are up-to-date on vaccinations and those who are not up-to-date on vaccinations will need to meet certain requirements following close contact exposure or a positive test.

Dear DU Community,

Beginning September 1, 2022, the University of Denver (DU) COVID-19 vaccination policy will require up-to-date vaccinations, as defined by the Centers for Diseases Control (CDC), for all faculty, students and staff living, learning or working in person on the DU campus.

Confirm your COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date

We continue to believe that vaccination is a critical tool in preventing serious health consequences from COVID-19. Vaccination protects our community and preserves our ability to maintain a robust in-person experience—even when case rates increase. Please check your COVID-19 vaccination schedule to determine if you are up-to-date here. If not, please receive the necessary vaccinations and upload your updated vaccination record before you return to campus for the fall term—and no later than Sept 1, 2022.

COVID-19 vaccinations are available on campus

The Health & Counseling Center (HCC) on campus has Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations available by appointment to all staff, faculty and students who are age 18 or older.

All COVID-19 vaccination exemptions—new or continued—need to be submitted before fall term.

We understand that not everyone is in a position to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and that additional vaccinations following the primary series may not be compatible with everyone’s medical status, religious or philosophical beliefs. To request an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements for the coming fall term, please follow the directions here. Please follow this process even if you have an approved exemption from a prior year.

Some additional requirements for those not up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations

If you are not up-to-date on your COVID-19 vaccinations, we do not expect additional testing or face covering requirements if the University is under COVID-19 alert levels “clear,” “green” and “blue.” In alert levels “yellow,” “orange,” “red” or “purple,” we DO anticipate additional requirements for those not up-to-date on their vaccinations. To avoid those additional requirements, we strongly encourage that you to receive the necessary vaccinations.

Requirements following close contact exposure

• Individuals who are not up-to-date with vaccinations: must quarantine as instructed by the applicable DU personnel.
• All community members, those up to date and those not:
  • must test on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 following close contact and
  • must isolate following a positive test for the period specified in instructions by applicable DU personnel, including following the requirements for being eligible for release from isolation.

Looking forward

We are hopeful that endemic conditions and relatively mild variants will allow us to continue in lower-risk alert levels and to operate with fewer COVID-19 protocols. Of course, should we experience more serious variants, or variants that impact our population or community more severely, we will revisit our protocols. Consistent with our approach throughout the pandemic, we will remain nimble in response to changing conditions on campus and focus on protecting and promoting the health and well-being of DU students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community.

During the summer months, we anticipate continued revision of our COVID-19 protocols and will communicate when important changes occur. We hope everyone is enjoying the summer months, and we look forward to returning together in the fall.

Sincerely,

Eric Hartman

Executive Director, Enterprise Risk Management

Therese Mashak

Public Health Project Manager, Enterprise Risk Management