Given the proven effectiveness of vaccines and boosters at limiting severe illness, they remain central to our approach. All members of the community are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 – this means all doses in the primary series as well as one booster. If/as new vaccines become available, this requirement will be updated. The only exceptions are those granted on medical or religious grounds. The CDC provides the most up-to-date information on current vaccines and boosters and eligibility criteria.
- Updated COVID-19 booster vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These boosters are “bivalent,” meaning they protect against two different viruses or two strains of the same virus; in this case, the original COVID-19 strain and the newer omicron variant.
- We strongly encourage all eligible members of the community to get the bivalent booster. To find a location for an updated booster, you can go to vaccines.gov or vaxfinder.mass.gov or text your zip code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233. Students can contact Health Services if they need assistance scheduling an appointment.
- If you get boosted and let the College know by November 18, you can choose to be entered into a raffle for prizes. Whether or not you wish to be entered into the raffle, please inform the College if you get the booster. It will help us gauge the level of booster participation and protection on campus.
- Faculty and staff who are new to the community and would like to request a medical exemption should visit the COVID-19 vaccine exemption webpage for more information. Exemptions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and determinations will be communicated within approximately 10-15 business days.
- Students should visit the Health Services COVID-19 page for more information.
A person’s vaccination status is a personal medical matter and, as a result, individuals must not ask others about their vaccination status. Choices that people make to protect themselves, their family, or the community are theirs to make and one should not assume that simply because a person chooses to take certain precautions (e.g. wear a mask, distance, get tested), it communicates anything about their vaccination status.
QUESTIONS?
Please reach out to Health Services at healthservice@amherst.edu (students) or Human Resources at hr@amherst.edu (employees) if you have questions.
Where Can I Get a Vaccine?
If you are eligible for the vaccine, go to mass.gov/COVIDVaccineMap, where you can find a location, schedule an appointment online, and fill out the self-attestation form, which you will need to present at the appointment.
Remember to bring important personal information, such as your health insurance card. You will need to wear a mask when getting your vaccine.