Both the University of Delaware and Delaware State University will require students to be vaccinated for the fall semester.
DSU President Tony Allen stated vaccination requirement is the logical extension of the university’s coronavirus testing regime, which has kept virus positives down to an average of 0.5 percent among students and employees.
The Delaware positive test rate recently slipped below five percent. At one time this spring, the state had among the highest rates of new cases.
“Our testing program in collaboration with Testing for America allowed us to bring back about 70 population of our residential population last year for mostly hybrid courses. The vaccination requirement permits us to open up more space at both the university’s main campus and as well as the soon to be acquired Wesley College campus, and to return to our normal methods of course delivery.”
The acquisition of Wesley is slated for this summer.
University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis wrote in a letter to the UD community that immunizations will be required no later than Aug. 15.
Assanis noted that the requirement is consistent with the recommendation provided by the American College Health Association for all students planning to attend college for the fall of 2021 semester.
The State of Delaware has been targeting vaccinations events for college students, due in part to the virus spreading more rapidly among unvaccinated young people.
Emergency approval is expected in the near future on the use of Pfizer vaccine for children and teens 12-16.
