Dear UMBC Community,
As announced earlier, the University System of Maryland and UMBC will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, faculty, and staff who will be on the UMBC campus and at UMBC-operated off-campus locations in Fall 2021. However, we know that some members of our community have medical and religious reasons that will prohibit them from receiving the vaccine.
Our medical and religious exemption process is now available for community members. More information and all necessary forms can be found here. If you have questions, please email covid19@umbc.edu and we will direct your email to the proper office.
We expect that exemptions to this mandate will be few. First and foremost, we agree with Chancellor Perman that “mandating a COVID vaccine is the most effective strategy we have, especially as we try to reach herd immunity.” We ask that members of our community remember that vaccination, while a personal action, is a commitment to the health of our entire community. In addition, as it relates to medical exemptions, the Centers for Disease Control are clear that the list of medical conditions that would preclude an individual from safely being vaccinated is very limited. In most cases, the risks of becoming ill with COVID-19 is a more urgent health issue for those with certain pre-existing medical conditions.
Finally, we know that some community members have questions about the vaccine’s designation of Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA. This FAQ from the University System of Maryland clearly explains the actual meaning of that designation and the scientific understanding that “both the safety and efficacy have now been demonstrated well beyond the initial clinical trial data.”
We are requesting that all community members either report their vaccine or have an exemption request on file by July 6, 2021.
Thank you for your patience as we developed this process.
Provost Philip Rous
Vice President for Administration and Finance Lynne Schaefer
COVID-19 Planning Coordinating Committee Co-Chairs
