Eastern Mennonite University has joined more than 650 colleges and universities, including 18 Virginia institutions, in the COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge. The initiative, created in a partnership of the White House and the U.S. Department of Education, aims to increase the rate of vaccination among students, faculty and staff within campus communities around the country.
In joining the challenge, EMU has committed to three key actions that include engaging every campus community member through communication and messaging, organizing their college community; and providing vaccine access.
“Joining this nationwide effort is just one step we can make here to signal the importance of increasing the rate of vaccinations among our campus community,” said President Susan Schultz Huxman. “The more students, faculty and staff who are vaccinated, the better our opportunity to create a safe and healthy learning environment in the fall so that all of our students can focus fully on their education and enjoy campus life.”
EMU has hosted one vaccine clinic and will host another July 7, open to all community members, in partnership with RMH Sentara. To find a location near you to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://www.vaccines.gov/,
The university announced in early June that all students attending classes in-person at the main campus in Harrisonburg, Va., would be required to show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 before arriving on campus or beginning classes for the fall semester 2021, or to file a waiver on medical, religious or philosophical grounds. For more information, visit www.emu.edu/coronavirus/vaccinations.
According to a survey conducted in the spring, more than 80 percent of EMU’s faculty and staff are fully vaccinated. Nearly 400 EMU students are fully vaccinated, according to data collected earlier this summer.
“Vaccines have been shown effective at preventing serious illness and death and to be effective against variants, including this new Delta variant we’re seeing hit our younger unvaccinated population especially hard,” said Director of Health Services Irene Kniss.
The highly transmissible Delta variant is newly listed as a “variant of concern” by the CDC, and is particularly affecting unvaccinated populations.
Kniss said students are already required to have several other vaccinations before arriving on campus. Adding the COVID vaccine is a step towards maintaining optimal health levels for all, especially on a residential college campus, she said.
If a high percentage of those on campus this fall are vaccinated, Kniss added, “that substantially lowers our collective risk and allows us more flexibility in how we respond to COVID-19 this fall.”
Kniss is one of several EMU staff and administrators currently developing fall 2021 opening plans.
On-campus mandates for masking and social distancing were lifted when Virginia governor Ralph Northam lifted emergency restrictions earlier this summer. Following CDC guidelines, those who are unvaccinated are asked to wear a mask and practice social distancing on campus and in buildings.
The university will announce COVID mitigation measures in August, as more data is available about the total numbers of vaccinated campus community members. Masking and social distancing and other public health protocols may be put in place, depending on vaccination rates and indicators of disease prevalence in the region.
Three area universities have also joined the initiative, including Bridgewater College, James Madison University, and Mary Baldwin University.
How heartening to read of EMU’s practical and reasoned Covid response in an era of science denial so prevalent in many quarters of our society.
Good for you to try for high vaccination rates. Pearl E. Zehr
I applaud your vaccination effort.