John Carroll University To Require Coronavirus Vaccinations

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH — John Carroll University in University Heights is among the latest colleges to require students to be vaccinated from the coronavirus. The school said on its website that all students, faculty and staff will need to present proof of vaccination by Nov. 15.

"It is important that all students, faculty, and staff get fully immunized against COVID-19 with one of the safe, effective, and widely available vaccines," the school said in a statement.

The only exception, the school says, will be graduate students who are enrolled in a fully online program and will not be on campus at any point during the program.

A spike in delta variant coronavirus cases across Cuyahoga County led to the decision, according to the school.

"Young and otherwise healthy individuals are increasingly contracting this highly contagious strain of the virus, and unvaccinated individuals are at a much higher risk of being hospitalized from the virus," the school said.

John Carroll already has an indoor mask mandate in place.