Dear Hokies,

I write today with some details on the student COVID-19 vaccination requirement, including how to submit your vaccination information and record. As we plan to return to a full in-person fall semester, it is important we prepare for all of our activities and events by being as safe as possible.  Student Affairs enthusiastically waits to greet you with the in-person experiences that are cornerstones at Virginia Tech.

As President Tim Sands announced today, Virginia Tech is requiring all undergraduate and graduate students to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and to register their vaccination status with the university. Individuals must be fully vaccinated to submit their information.

After your final dose (one dose of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine, two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, or the full course of vaccination for a WHO-approved vaccine if you are currently residing outside of the United States), you’ll need to submit a copy or  photo of your vaccination card as soon as possible to the Online Student Health Portal. You must submit your information by Aug. 6 in order to attend classes this fall.

Virginia Tech’s vaccine requirement applies to all undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate students in programs with online courses are required to be vaccinated. We welcome and expect all of our students to access Virginia Tech services and programs, and this will help us provide those services safely.

Submit your vaccination record.

Additional instructions on uploading your vaccination record may be found in this message, but you can also visit the Ready website for additional information or frequently asked questions about the vaccination requirement for students.

For students who have not yet been vaccinated, we urge you to do so as soon as possible. Both Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech vaccines require individuals to wait up to four weeks in between doses; first vaccines should be done no later than June 20. This timing allows the appropriate waiting period to receive a second dose, and meet the Aug. 6 reporting deadline.

To get a vaccine:

  • Students in the New River Valley, visit the New River Health District’s website for upcoming vaccination clinics.
  • Students in other parts of Virginia, visit your local health district office’s website.
  • You may also use https://www.vaccines.gov/ to book a vaccination appointment with a national pharmacy.

Students may apply for an exemption from this requirement for certain religious or medical reasons. If the administration of immunizing agents is against your religious tenets or practices, you can fill out the Immunization Religious Exemption Form. A student may apply for a medical exemption completing the Immunization Medical Exemption Form. Importantly, filing for religious or medical exemption means that in the case of an outbreak, potential epidemic, or epidemic of a vaccine-preventable disease at Virginia Tech, the state health commissioner may order your exclusion from the university for your own protection until the emergency has passed.

I want to assure you that this decision was reached after very thorough and thoughtful consideration from your leaders at this university. This is the safest and surest way forward to the Hokie experience we’re all clamoring for this fall and beyond. Thank you again for putting the public health and well-being of our entire community first.

Get ready for a transformative fall semester, and Go Hokies!

With hope,

Frank Shushok Jr.
Vice President for Student Affairs

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