APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Schools are set to return to in-person classes next fall.
For some, COVID-19 vaccines will be required.
Starting in June, Lawrence University will require all students 16 and older accessing or living on campus to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We’ve required vaccines for a long time now and so it’s not new for our community to understand that there are for the health and safety of the whole community, requirements in that way,” Lawrence University board of trustees secretary Christyn Abaray said.
One Lawrence student is happy about the decision.
“I think it’s great. I think it’s good that we’re pushing that in getting herd immunity within our campus. Our campus has done a really good job about keeping COVID contained this year and I think the vaccines are going to help provide that extra layer of support,” Lawrence University sophomore Carter Howe said.
Officials say requiring the vaccine is step towards normalcy.
“The sense of togetherness and connection that is part of who we are, we know we’ve all been missing is so integral to the experience for each and every one of us,” Abaray said.
While the university will require the vaccines for students, it will not for faculty and staff.
“This comes down to where we feel we have the legal precedent to be able to say for this community that is living with us, it’s different than the community that’s working with us, but again, the flexibility is there to think about things differently and potentially make decisions differently in the future,” Abaray said.
As of now, Lawrence University is the only college in Wisconsin to make COVID vaccines a requirement for students.
Currently, the state is seeing a drop in vaccine demand, but continues to encourage Wisconsinites to get the shot.
“It’s our most effective tool to get us through this pandemic. The more of us who get vaccinated, the faster we can get there,” Wisconsin Department of Health Services deputy secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said.
If a student is unable to be vaccinated, the university is allowing some exemptions.
