Citing low vaccination rates among students, Molloy College has joined a growing list of schools requiring all students be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
In an online policy statement posted on Tuesday, officials at the Rockville Centre school said just 32% of students have uploaded proof of vaccination to the Molloy Health Portal. Officials said the school will now require full immunization for all students by Aug. 25.
The requirement does not apply to students enrolled in a fully-online program and who will not visit any Molloy location, officials said in the statement.
Officials said an individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second dose of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Students can submit a request for a medical or religious exemption, officials said, while students who will not be able to complete their full vaccination by Aug. 25 can request a temporary waiver — though all in those categories “will be required to follow established health and safety protocols at Molloy,” the statement on the school website said.
The school cited data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing “surging COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States” — with most caused by the new delta variant — as a reason for the new policy.
The school said 76% of employees have been fully vaccinated and said officials continue to “evaluate developments and assess the situation regarding a vaccine mandate for employees.” It added that Molloy “strongly encourages all employees to get vaccinated.”
Earlier this week, Adelphi University joined the list of colleges with a vaccination mandate for students.
In May, officials at Hofstra University said the school would require full vaccination beginning in September and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that all students returning to in-person learning at SUNY and CUNY schools statewide would need to be fully vaccinated as well.
