Duke University to Require COVID-19 Vaccination Before Fall Enrollment

Leadership for Duke University announced all students returning to its campus for the upcoming fall semester must have COVID-19 vaccinations before enrollment.

In a message to the campus community on Friday, Duke President Vincent E. Price shared an update to the university’s enrollment requirements, saying all new and returning students will need to present proof of vaccination to Student Health before approval to enroll for the fall 2021 semester. As the university continues offering vaccine appointments, he cited widespread vaccination as “the only way to facilitate a return to normal and robust campus life.”

“This policy will cover all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students — in all degree programs — who intend to be on the Duke campus for any period of time starting with the Fall 2021 semester,” wrote Price.

The Duke president said the university urges students and employees who have not yet received a vaccination to schedule an appointment, either through the university or a health care provider. Those with documented medical exceptions and religious exemptions will be accommodated, according to Price’s message.

The vaccination requirement comes both as North Carolina extends its vaccine eligibility rules to all remaining people and as colleges aim to pivot back to normal operations. Having suspended in-person instruction in spring 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, local universities like Duke and UNC scaled back campus operations and conducted classes remotely. Both schools returned limited amounts of students to campus this spring with public health guidelines in place and COVID-19 testing sites established. Since January, Duke reports having 862 positive cases among its campus community while UNC reports 581 positive cases.

UNC recently shared plans of a return to normal campus operations by mid-July, about a month before students return to campus in August. During the university’s summer session, most classes will remain remote with students living on campus continuing twice-weekly coronavirus testing.

To close his message to the Duke community, Price said the past 14 months have been some of the most difficult and “exhausting” in the university’s history.

“Under great stress, and often at great peril,” wrote the Duke president, “we have remained committed to each other — and to our missions of discovery, research, and patient care. Today, I ask you to join me in taking the next step toward ensuring the safety and vitality of our university community.”

The fall 2021 semester at Duke is set to begin Monday, August 23.

Photo via Duke Today/Duke University.

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Duke University to Require COVID-19 Vaccination Before Fall Enrollment

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