Catholic colleges requiring vaccinations for fall

All three Catholic colleges in the Diocese of Worcester are requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for on-campus students in the fall. Each will allow exemptions from the requirement.

On Thursday, a letter from President Mary Loeu Retelle said, "Anna Maria College will join the growing list of colleges and universities across the country in requiring students and employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the Fall 2021 semester.

"The on-campus vaccine requirement will apply to all undergraduate students, graduate students,  faculty, staff, and administration. Vaccinations must be completed prior to arriving on campus for the fall," she said.

Anna Maria is developing a process for accommodating medical and religious exemptions and those details will be forthcoming, the letter stated.

Holy Cross President Father Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., announced Tuesday that “every Holy Cross student, other than those who request and are granted a medical or religious exemption, will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine. This is a vital step for our community in order to have the kind of fall semester we all want; with in-person classes and activities, a full slate of athletics competitions and minimal social distancing requirements.”

On April 16 Assumption announced: “Pivotal to welcoming as many students as possible back to campus this fall is achieving a minimum 90 percent vaccination rate of the campus community. To reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and the possibility of acute illness if you are infected, the University will require that all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated by Monday, August 9. Students must be fully vaccinated two weeks prior to their return to campus.” 

“We are hopeful that the virus will wane in its prevalence so we may collectively transition to a new normal of post-pandemic campus life,” said Francesco C. Cesareo, Assumption’s president.  

All colleges said they would consider exemptions for religious or medical reasons.