Lasell University To Require Students To Get Coronavirus Vaccine

Newton MA

14 April, 2021

2:55 PM

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NEWTON, MA — Lasell University will require all students returning to campus this fall to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus before their first day of class. The school's president announced the policy Wednesday. "Keeping our community safe has been and will remain our number one priority," said Lasell University President Michael B. Alexander in an email to the school community. "To make this objective a reality, we need to reach herd immunity, and the safest and quickest way is to require the vaccine for all students." So far, the school is "strongly" encouraging faculty and staff to get vaccinated, but has not yet made it a requirement. The announcement comes as anyone over the age of 16 will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 19. Alexander said the school would help students, including international students, figure out how and where to register to receive the vaccine. Once students are vaccinated, they will need to upload proof of vaccination to the school's Health Services portal. Alexander said the school would grant requests for appropriate medical and religious exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Alexander said the school will announce a formal decision on mandatory vaccinations for employees in the coming weeks. Northeastern University on April 6 became the first college in Greater Boston to require all students returning to campus this fall to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus before their first day of class.