The California State University will be requiring students, staff and faculty to receive a COVID-19 booster shot in order to be considered “fully vaccinated” for the upcoming spring 2022 semester.
“Vaccination, including a booster when eligible, remains our most effective strategy against infection and severe disease,” said CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro. “This is particularly important in light of the rapid rise of cases of COVID-19 throughout the state and nation as the Omicron variant spreads. Implementing the booster requirement now will help mitigate the potential spread of the variant on campuses as they repopulate in January after the winter break.”
The new requirement states that campus community members of all 23 CSU campuses, including Stanislaus State, must receive their booster shot by February 22, 2022 or six months after their final dose of the initial vaccination. Simultaneously, individual campuses have been given the opportunity to implement the updated policy at an earlier date, if they choose.
As with the previous COVID-19 vaccination policy, campus community members will have the opportunity to apply for medical and religious exemptions.
According to Stan State’s COVID-19 campus communications, the final vaccination data for the fall 2021 semester are as follows:
Students

• 76.3% of all enrolled students were considered fully vaccinated (not including a booster)
• 1.2% of all enrolled students were granted a medical exemption
• 3.9% of all enrolled students were granted a religious exemption
• 13.2% of all enrolled students opted to not come to campus during the fall 2021 semester over vaccination requirements
• 5.4% of all enrolled students did not provide any information to Stan State’s COVID-19 certification 

Faculty

• 91.98 of faculty were considered fully vaccinated (not including a booster)
• 0.13% of faculty were granted a medical exemption
• 1.45% of faculty were granted a religious exemption 
• 6.04% of faculty opted to not come to campus
• 0.39% of faculty did not provide any information to Stan State’s COVID-19 certification 

Staff

• 77.66% of staff were considered fully vaccinated (not including a booster)
• 0.34% of staff were granted a medical exemption
• 11.17% of staff were granted a religious exemption
• 0.69% of staff opted to not come to campus
• 10.14% of staff did not provide any information to Stan State’s COVID-19 certification

All of these numbers are expected to change in the spring 2021 semester as the campus community adjusts to the updated requirements.
Enforcement of the vaccination policy on the Stan State Turlock and Stockton campuses are also expected to be similar to the spring 2021 term, as daily self-screening forms will be updated to include booster shots and green/red screens must be shown before entering any buildings.
“Please get a vaccine booster shot and have your children vaccinated, if eligible, during winter break in order to protect yourself, your families, your community and our campus,” Stan State President Ellen Junn said in a statement. “If you have already received a vaccine booster, upload your certification now in the myStanState Portal.”
Junn added that more Stan State campus-specific information will be released in January.
To read the full California State University press release, head to https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/The-California-State-University-to-Require-COVID19-Vaccination-Booster-for-Spring-2022-Term.aspx.

This article will be updated as more information from the Stanislaus State and the CSU becomes available.