DETROIT – Wayne State University (WSU) is requiring all staff, students and faculty to get vaccinated for COVID-19 if they plan to be on campus in the fall, officials announced Tuesday.
The university says that because of increased COVID spread, especially within their community, individuals who plan to be on campus for the fall 2021 semester must show proof of vaccination by Aug. 30 in order to be allowed on campus. The mandate is designed to help slow the spread of the virus, particularly the highly transmissible delta variant, and to create a “renewed sense of normalcy.”
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- Affected individuals can submit proof of their COVID-19 vaccination on WSU’s website right here.
- Those who are not getting vaccinated due to “legitimate health or religious reasons” can apply for a waiver on the university’s website here.
The mandate does not currently affect anyone who is working or studying remotely.
Officials say that any students, staff or faculty members who knowingly violate the vaccine mandate will “face consequences.” University officials also say that the vaccination requirement will eventually eliminate the need for face masks -- though a mask mandate does remain in place for indoor spaces on campus, despite vaccination status.
Find more COVID updates from WSU on their website here.
Coronavirus cases, largely driven by the delta variant, have been rising again in Michigan and across the country in recent weeks. WSU officials said Tuesday that the COVID positivity rate has recently risen from 2.5% to 3.3%.
Studies show that the COVID-19 vaccine is protective against the delta variant, though some breakthrough cases have been reported among vaccinated individuals. Still, the majority of virus infections, hospitalizations and deaths in the United States have been recorded among unvaccinated people.
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