BELOIT, Wisconsin– Beloit College leaders say the latest CDC guidelines make it “crystal clear,” and the only way to give students a more normal on-campus experience is to require vaccination.
“I think we are all at the point of wanting to reclaim our lives a little bit,” said Tara Girard, Director of Beloit College’s Health & Wellness Center. “I have my finger on the pulse of students because I’m here everyday and I work with them, and I anticipate the majority will feel really excited about this.”
Girard says she fully supports Beloit’s science-backed decision to mandate vaccination for all students, faculty, and staff.
A fully vaccinated campus means most students will not need to wear masks or get regular COVID tests this fall. Students also will not need to quarantine if they come in contact with someone who has tested positive.
“College students have had a hard time the past year and a half and really had to change their college experience so dramatically,” Girard added.
She says she will work individually with international students who are unable to get their shots before arriving on campus, as well as students with questions about exemptions for medical or religious reasons.
Although the COVID vaccine is new, requiring vaccination is not. Many schools already require students get shots to prevent the spread of diseases including polio, diphtheria, and whooping cough.
RELATED: Beloit College to require vaccines for 2021-22 school year
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