Frequently Asked Questions

UMW joins hundreds of other universities nationwide in requiring students to be vaccinated as a means of protecting the health of the community, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Research continues to support the safety and efficacy – along with extreme effectiveness – of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO). Widespread vaccination is the best tool we have to ensure that UMW can return to a full in-person academic and social environment in the fall of 2021.

Among other things,

• It creates a more secure environment for UMW community members by drastically reducing the potential for COVID-19 outbreaks on campus;
• It helps alleviate anxiety and discomfort among members of the campus community who are fearful of COVID-19;
• It helps to provide clarity about the upcoming academic year;
• It may help contribute to the reduction of COVID-19 spread in the surrounding Fredericksburg community;
• It reflects the University’s support of and contribution to a larger public health endeavor with global implications; and
• It provides a clear signal to prospective, new, and current students and their families about the importance of everybody’s wellbeing at UMW.

UMW expects that all employees will be vaccinated. We are strongly encouraged by the fact that more than 70% have already done so. Employees who do not meet this expectation will participate in daily attestation and weekly COVID-19 prevalence testing.

Public health officials consider an individual to be fully vaccinated two weeks after their final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Yes. Anyone who previously had COVID-19 will still be required to be vaccinated. The immunity acquired post-infection lasts only about 90 days.

There will be two permitted exemptions to the University’s vaccination requirement that would still allow a student to participate in person. These are the same exceptions for every mandated vaccine at UMW and they must be submitted to the Student Health Center.

• A medical exemption will be granted to students for whom receiving the COVID-19 vaccination is medically inadvisable. Documentation from the student’s health provider must be provided.
• A religious exemption will be granted in accordance with Certificate of Religious Exemption (Form CRE-1).

Unlike vaccinated students, those who file a medical or religious waiver will need to participate in entry testing and weekly prevalence testing as well as daily attestation in the Eagle Health Journal.  If they are exposed to a COVID-19 case, they will need to quarantine.

Access to residence halls (for residential students) and University IT systems (for residential and nonresidential students) will be prohibited until either a vaccination record or an exemption is filed and verified with the Student Health Center.

UMW will offer an opt-out waiver to students who agree never to seek access to a UMW campus or facility; however, the University will not provide separate online options for in-person classes for students who do not wish to receive the vaccine.

To be clear, UMW is expecting employees to get vaccinated but not mandating that they get vaccinated.  Employees can opt out of offering proof of vaccination, but this means accepting daily attestation and regular prevalence testing in the fall semester – likely least once a week.

No employment action will be taken, they will, however, be required to be tested weekly.

Contact the provider through which you received your vaccination(s) to obtain replacement proof of vaccination.

Any vaccine approved in the U.S., including Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen will be accepted. UMW will work with students who have been vaccinated abroad as well as international students who do not have access to vaccines approved in the US.

Students will submit a copy of their vaccination card at the SHC Student Portal.  Employees will submit a copy of their vaccination card to HR here.

Much is still to be determined about the fall, but please submit your questions to covidvaccination@umw.edu.  Additionally, in the coming weeks we will put together a panel of campus experts to answer further questions about the vaccines.