UVA to mandate still experimental COVID-19 vaccination for in-person students this fall

University of Virginia students will need to provide proof of COVID vaccination by July 1

The University of Virginia (UVA) announced Thursday that it will mandate coronavirus vaccines for in-person students in the fall.

The announcement marks a significant development in the discussion around vaccine mandates: UVA is the largest public school in Virginia. Previously, The College of William & Mary was the only public school that had announced plans to mandate vaccines for the fall term.

The school announced its decision on its website, including a number of updates about protocols to the fall, but the most notable was the first major item, labeled a “requirement for all in-person students.”

“All students who live, learn, or work in person at the University during the next academic year must be fully vaccinated before returning to Grounds, starting July 1,” the notice said, providing a link that requires students to upload proof of vaccination by that date.

“This approach will enable our students to return … safely,” the school says. The notice adds that students can seek a medical or religious exemption; however, any exemption will instead subject the student to weekly testing and “other public health measures.”

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