Tufts announced that it has acquired doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and is setting up a vaccination clinic for students, faculty and staff in the Gantcher Center; doses will be administered on April 28, 29 and 30.
The announcement, sent via email and signed by University Infection Control Health Director Michael Jordan, also said that all students will need to be vaccinated before participating in on-campus classes or activities. The deadline for vaccination for students in the School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine and the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine is July 1, and the deadline for students in all other schools is the beginning of the fall semester.
Jordan noted that special cases will be considered.
“We will assist students who have limited access to [the] vaccine in meeting this requirement shortly after their arrival on campus,” the email said. “Like other vaccine requirements in place for students, medical and religious exemptions will be considered.”
Faculty and staff will have to provide documentation of vaccination, ask for a religious or medical exemption or complete a declination form that says they chose not to be vaccinated.
The email also noted that if students, faculty and staff have received their first dose elsewhere, they should not register for a second shot at the Tufts clinic. However, the email did advise that people sign up for their first dose at Tufts, even if they will not be in the Boston area in three weeks to receive their second dose due to the growing availability of doses across the country.
