COVID-19 Vaccine Booster to Be Required for All Students, Faculty, and Staff

This message was sent to the Bryn Mawr College campus community on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

In light of rising COVID infections from the Delta variant and the spread of the new Omicron variant, Bryn Mawr will require all students, faculty, and staff to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot by January 18th. This decision aligns with the CDC recommendation that everyone 16 years or older should get a booster shot when they are six months or more past their initial Moderna or Pfizer two-shot vaccination OR 2 months or more after the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccination; recent data suggests that the booster increases vaccine efficacy and offers added protection against the Omicron variant. Anyone who received a medical or religious exemption for the vaccine does not need to reapply for an exemption for the booster.

Bryn Mawr is fortunate that many community members have already received a booster shot at one of the two campus clinics held this month or from an off-campus provider.

• If you are eligible for a booster shot and have not yet received one, many local pharmacies offer the booster. Some family physicians also have booster shots available. You must obtain your booster shot and submit proof of vaccination by the beginning of second semester classes on Tuesday, January 18. Booster shots are free to the recipient.
• For those who are not yet eligible to receive a booster, plan to schedule your booster shot as soon as possible after you are eligible and no more than 30 days after eligibility.

The College will again require all students, faculty, and staff to provide proof of vaccination and booster shots. Undergraduate, graduate, and postbac students should submit proof of vaccination booster through the student health portal; students will receive an email with a link to the portal in early January.  Faculty and staff should look for an email from Kari Fazio that will provide details about options for submitting proof of their COVID booster shot.

We want to support all faculty, students, and staff in getting their booster shots. We encourage students to contact the Health Center (610-526-7360) with any questions or concerns, and employees to talk with their medical provider. If you are having logistical issues with getting a booster, students should reach out to the Health Center and employees should reach out to Kari Fazio. We will provide as much assistance as we can.

We are closely following the recent developments with Omicron. We will continue to follow the guidance of medical and public health experts and adjust our mitigation measures accordingly. We will be sure to communicate promptly if there are any alterations to plans for the spring semester. We remain optimistic that our layered approach will bring continued success, but we will continue to be flexible and adjust as needed.

Sincerely,

Members of the Senior Staff

Kim Cassidy
May Cheng
Kari Fazio
Tim Harte
Cheryl Horsey
Brooke Jones
Ruth Lindeborg
Bob Miller
Gina Siesing
Jennifer Walters