(DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)While the pandemic has kept many of us apart in the last year, I am greatly anticipating a larger return to campus in the fall. The university has worked hard to implement guidelines to promote safety and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Keeping our community safe requires a collective effort. By taking care of ourselves, we also Take Care DePaul.
In the spirit of caring for each other and for our surrounding community, DePaul has decided to require students to be vaccinated for COVID-19 when the 2021-22 academic year begins. This requirement covers all undergraduate, graduate and professional students in all degree programs who intend to be on campus for any period of time starting in the fall 2021 term. While documented medical and religious exemptions will be accommodated, we expect the vast majority of students will be vaccinated.
To help provide equitable access to our community, DePaul will host a vaccine clinic for students, faculty and staff next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Student Center in Lincoln Park. Additional details and signup information will be shared in the coming days.
Why is DePaul requiring students to be vaccinated? Simply put: safety, mutual care and social responsibility. The health and safety of our community, and the communities in which our students, faculty and staff live, have driven DePaul's decision-making throughout the pandemic. We know the threat of COVID-19 will not completely disappear before we convene in the fall. We also know the COVID-19 vaccines have been proven effective at greatly reducing the spread of the virus, as well as preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19. When used in combination with other COVID-19 prevention measures, vaccines provide protection against the virus.
No decision has been made on whether DePaul will require employees to be vaccinated. According to a February survey, the vast majority of our faculty and staff already have received or plan to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. I continue to encourage you—for your own health and to protect those around you—to be vaccinated at your first opportunity. Please remember you may use paid time off to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or to recover from vaccine side effects.
As of April 19, anyone ages 16 and over is eligible to receive the vaccine anywhere in Illinois. Eligibility is expanding in other parts of the country as well. As vaccine supply increases, appointments to receive the vaccine are becoming easier to find. Just this week, the state of Illinois offered the COVID-19 vaccine to university students at sites throughout the state through the College Vaccination Days program. In addition to DePaul's upcoming clinic, appointments are still available for Chicago residents at a vaccine clinic on Thursday in Old Town (near DePaul's Lincoln Park Campus). Visit this website for more information and to register for the Old Town clinic.
Please visit DePaul's COVID-19 Vaccine webpage for more information, including tips on making an appointment in Illinois. We highly encourage you to seek a vaccine appointment now.
If you have questions, please call DePaul at (773) 325-3221. DePaul staff answer this hotline Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call takers can help answer questions on vaccine eligibility and appointment locations. Please note call takers will not book appointments for you. You can also email DePaulCommunityHealth@depaul.edu.
Thank you, and Take Care DePaul.