All faculty, staff and students planning on returning to campus next semester are required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster prior to the start of the spring 2022 semester. Marco Valera, vice president for administration and COVID-19 coordinator, sent an email to the Fordham community on Dec. 14 outlining the university’s policy.

Nemo Keane, Fordham College at Lincoln Center ’22, has not received their booster shot yet, but was already planning to receive it over winter break before the university announcement. 

“I think it makes perfect sense to require boosters for the Spring, given the slowly rising numbers of cases and the new Delta and Omicron variants,” they said. “It should be required to keep everyone else safe.”

In an email sent to the Fordham community on Oct. 8, University Health Services first announced the availability of booster shots on campus and requirements for eligibility. Only the Pfizer booster shots were available at that time. The university now carries all three FDA-authorized vaccine boosters. Faculty, staff and students can receive the Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer or Moderna booster shots. 

Isabel Piazza, FCLC ’23, tried to schedule her booster shot on campus following the Dec. 14 email but was unable to find an open appointment. The next available date when she tried to schedule is Jan. 19, which is one day after the start of the spring semester. 

She is glad that the university is making it a requirement for students, faculty and staff because it alleviates some of the fears that come from the rising variants. 

“I think that the variants have created a lot of fear and uncertainty over whether or not campus will even be open next semester and whether or not things will remain in person,” Piazza said. “So I think it does make sense to require the booster as it both alleviates fear and uncertainty and also makes the university community safer.”

On-campus vaccine administration hours have been extended during the final weeks of the fall semester.

New York state guidelines note that individuals who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines must wait at least six months following the completion of the primary COVID-19 vaccination in order to be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster. Those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine must wait at least two months following their vaccination. 

Individuals over the age of 18 are eligible to receive the COVID-19 booster vaccine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifies that occupations at an increased risk for exposure include teaching personnel. The university acknowledged the increasing infection rates due to the spread of the delta and omicron variants and requires members of the Fordham community to receive the vaccine booster as soon as medically permissible. 

Before the start of the fall 2021 semester, the university required all students to be fully vaccinated in order to return to campus. Religious and medical accommodations were made on a case-by-case basis. The CDC currently does not require a booster shot for a person to be considered fully vaccinated. 

On-campus vaccine administration hours have been extended during the final weeks of the fall semester. Vaccines are available on Dec. 15 and Dec. 22 in McMahon Hall Room 211 at the Lincoln Center campus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At Rose Hill, they are available on Dec. 17 and Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vaccines are administered at Rose Hill at the rear entrance of O’Hare Hall, across the Ram Van loading area.