Mount Saint Mary To Require COVID Vaccination For Students

NEWBURGH, NY — Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh will be requiring students attending classes in the fall to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

According to a post on the college's website, officials said the decision was in response to the rising infection rates in Orange County and the emergence of highly contagious variants such as the delta variant.

Students will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall 2021 semester with the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Proof of vaccination — meaning all required doses received — must be submitted by noon Thursday, Sept. 9.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the J&J vaccine only requires one shot. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is available for age 12 and up, requires a second dose three weeks after the first. The Moderna vaccine requires a second dose four weeks after the first.

College President Jason Adsit said the decision to require the vaccines will provide a safer return to in-person classes and activities, minimize the risk of outbreak, protect the health of the community and reduce the possibility of disruption to academic, co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

Vaccination reduced the frequency of testing required for student-athletes and helps them return to competition as safely as possible.

Students may upload their COVID-19 immunization record or photo of their COVID-19 vaccination card directly through the MSMC Student Health Portal. Students must be registered for the portal before using it.

To find a vaccination site near you, go here.

Classes at Mount Saint Mary College will begin remotely Monday, Aug. 30. Move-in day will be Sunday, Sept. 12 with in-person classes beginning Monday, Sept. 13.