By SUSAN JONES
The Pitt community has until Dec. 4 to comment on a draft vaccination policy (Pitt sign-on required) that encourages all members of the University community to remain up to date on their vaccinations, but only requires shots for students and those employees in high-risk areas.
While the new policy has no direct requirement for COVID-19 vaccines, it does give the University flexibility to establish additional vaccine requirements, if necessary. Specifically, it says that Department of Environmental Health & Safety, or another entity charged by the chancellor, may impose additional vaccination requirements, in consultation with the on-campus health services for students and employees.
Currently, the interim policy on COVID vaccines, which went into effect in 2022, does require employees and students to have completed an FDA- or WHO-approved primary series of COVID-19 vaccine doses or to seek an exemption. That policy is under consideration for decommissioning and would be replaced by the new policy.
The draft policy encourages everyone to visit the CDC website to figure out what vaccines they should have to be “up to date.” The CDC recommends the 2023–24 updated COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Novavax, to protect against serious illness. Since the end of the pandemic-related public health emergency this summer, the push to get the vaccine has lessened, even though there has been a slight rise in COVID cases this fall.
Employees who work in certain positions or have access to certain locations or settings at the University will still be required to submit proof of vaccination against additional diseases, which are outlined in the policy. For instance, anyone engaging in activity where exposure to human blood or other potentially infectious materials is probable or possible is required to have a hepatitis B vaccine, and people handling any viruses are required to be vaccinated against those viruses.
Under the new policy, students still must submit proof of several vaccinations before enrolling, unless in solely online programs. These include chicken pox, measles, rubella and mumps. Those living in University housing also need to have received a meningitis vaccine.
Once the comment period has ended, the policy will make its way through the shared governance process, starting with the Senate’s Benefits & Welfare and Faculty Affairs committees
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with the University Times.