Hudson Valley Colleges Welcome New SUNY Vaccine Policy

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — State and city universities in New York will require students to get vaccinations in order to be able to attend classes in the fall, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday.

Local colleges in the state system are already making preparations.

"With the Governor’s announcement we are now even more optimistic about the fall!" Purchase College President Dr. Milagros Peña told Patch. "We're already proud that more than half of our students have already received at least one dose of the vaccine in order to protect themselves and the community. We look forward to helping more students receive their vaccine in the next few weeks and to working on plans to welcome students back on campus in the fall."

The call for a vaccine mandate is just another step in the collective fight against COVID-19, officials at Westchester Community College said.

"The vaccine is available for students and community members at our Valhalla campus through a partnership with Westchester County. More than 40,000 people have been vaccinated at our campus where walk-in appointments are now available," WCC spokesman Mark Stollar told Patch. "We are constantly reviewing health and safety information and updating our practices to remain current with public health guidance. Students can learn more about the vaccine at www.sunywcc.edu/vaccine."

Private colleges and universities will also be urged to mandate vaccinations, Cuomo said.

With statewide coronavirus positivity down to 1.4 percent and 27 deaths reported, there has been a 58 percent decline in new cases over the last month. But it's important to note, Cuomo said, as the vaccination rate goes up, the positivity rate goes down; so as the vaccination rate declines, new efforts must be made.

To that end, Cuomo said there are "no excuses." The goal is to eliminate hesitancy and increase access. He has also proposed a law to prevent discrimination against people who are vaccinated.