SUNY Chancellor Lifts COVID-19 Vaccine Proof Mandate At Campuses

ALBANY, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. has lifted the COVID-19 vaccine mandate at the institute's 64 campuses starting with summer courses.

COVID-19 vaccinations will be strongly encouraged for students, and faculty and staff will also be encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations, SUNY officials said in a news release.

In a statement, King said, that "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."

"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," he said.

The decision coincided with the official end of the national public health emergency declared by President Joe Biden’s administration.

It was at the recommendation of SUNY’s Public Health Expert Advisory Committee, comprising of physicians and experts in infectious disease, public health, and neuroscience. Members met 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 the decision.

Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said that "while it is reassuring to see the progress we’ve made against the COVID-19 pandemic, precautions are still very important to ensure that progress continues."

"The department reminds people that we are fortunate to have easily accessible safe and effective vaccines," he said. "High-risk individuals such as people 65 and older, as well as younger people with underlying conditions should make sure they are up to date with the vaccine. The department will continue to consult with SUNY administrators as we monitor the data and align recommendations with those issued by the CDC as we transition out of the Public Health Emergency."

In a joint statement, co-chairs of the Public Health Expert Workgroup, Upstate Medical President Dr. Mantosh Dewan and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences President Dr. Wayne Riley, said, "Across the nation, we have been pleased to see the rates of infection come down as vaccination levels improved and the new COVID variants became much less severe. SUNY’s updated public health policy for COVID-19 is in line with other city, state, and national action to relax the mandate, and also provides campuses with protocols to keep campuses safe should there be any uptick in cases."

The majority of SUNY students are from New York with about 77.5 percent of 18-to-25-year-olds and 80 percent of 26-to-34-year-olds across the state completing their primary series vaccination, SUNY officials said.

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