MCC Daily Tribune

SUNY Announces the End of the Emergency COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

SUNY issued the following announcement on April 11, 2023:

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced that a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be mandated for students to attend SUNY’s 64 campuses, effective for summer courses, which coincides with the official end of the national public health emergency by President Biden’s administration yesterday.

Moving forward, COVID-19 vaccinations will be strongly encouraged for students, which is consistent with other viruses including influenza and mpox. Faculty and staff will also be encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations.

"The safety of SUNY’s students is our first and foremost priority, and while COVID is no longer an emergency, we will not lose sight of the impact it continues to have on us," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Across SUNY we will continue to monitor cases and make adjustments as needed, but even more importantly, we will look to increase the overall health and wellness support we provide our students."

The decision came at the recommendation of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee, which is comprised of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health, and neuroscience. The group was convened earlier this year to collect and review data on vaccinations, as well as trends in infection rates from newer variants. SUNY also worked with state health officials in making this decision.

The vast majority of SUNY students are New Yorkers, and to date approximately 77.5 percent of 18–25-year-olds and 79.8 percent of 26–34-year-olds across the state have completed their primary series vaccination. In addition, rates of infection continue to decline across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SUNY will continuously examine COVID-19 data and update its policy as needed based on local conditions or in response to requirements imposed by federal, state, or local authorities. Campuses will also continue to monitor local conditions carefully and make changes as appropriate.

The full news release is available on SUNY's website.

SUNY's updated COVID-19 guidance (PDF), effective for summer sessions, can also be found online.

Hency Yuen-Eng
Community Relations
04/12/2023