LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Another Kentucky school joins a growing list of colleges and universities across the country that will require COVID-19 vaccines.
What You Need To Know
- Simmons College will require COVID-19 vaccines this fall
- While classes have been online-only, in-person classes resume at Simmons College this fall
- Berea College will also require COVID-19 vaccines
- UofL, UK and WKU are all strongly encouraging, but not requiring COVID-19 vaccines
Officials at Simmons College in Louisville made the decision last week to make COVID-19 vaccines a requirement for all students, faculty and staff for the fall semester.
The spring and summer semesters at this HBCU are online-only. A spokesperson for the college said in-person classes resume this fall, leading to the decision to require vaccines.
Berea College was the first in the Commonwealth to announce a COVID-19 vaccination requirement. That college was actually among the first in the country to shut down when the pandemic hit last March.
Students at Berea College who do not want to get a COVID-19 vaccine will be offered a limited list of online courses to help complete their degree. There are exemptions for medical or religious reasons.
So far, those are the only two colleges in the state that have announced COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Both are small, private schools.
The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education said it is up to each institution to decide on vaccination policies.
At this time, the University of Louisville, University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University all strongly encourage students to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but none of them have made it a requirement.