SUNY schools will require students to be vaccinated by Fall semester
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - All SUNY and CUNY students will need to be fully vaccinated before heading back to the college for the Fall semester.
Governor Cuomo announced this mandate during his Monday COVID-19 briefing however, in order to mandate this, vaccines must be fully approved by the FDA for use. Some UAlbany students have mixed emotions about it.
“I think it’s a good thing. They make us get other vaccines, mumps and all of that, so I think it’s just a safe thing to do,” says UAlbany student Jamus Socker. This vaccine requirement only pertains to the students.
“It’s a game changer for us because we want to get people back in the classrooms and want to have the more normalized experience and that’s what the vaccine is supposed to do. For our SUNY college campuses it’s a big deal,” says SUNY Jim Malatras.
SUNY officials say they’re working on how they’re going to handle those who can’t get the vaccine because of religious or medical reasons. Officials are also determining if faculty and staff should be required to get the shot as well. “If they’re requiring students to get it, then I don’t see why they wouldn’t require teachers and staff to get it,” says Socker.
Some UAlbany students tell NEWS10 they don’t agree with this mandate. They believe getting the shot should be a choice, not a requirement. “It’s not something that I want to do but I want to be in school so if that’s what they require but once again I feel like that’s not fair to us,” says UAlbany student Marquis Scott.
“I am going to get vaccinated rather than drop out, yes,” says UAlbany student Seymour Yarovoy. My mom sent me a text…I am getting it in two days. She’s on it, my mom is on it. I am getting it in two days,” he adds.