Ohio State to require COVID-19 vaccine, first jab by Oct. 15

By Tom Hanks

Ohio State has joined hundreds of other colleges and universities across the United States in requiring that students, faculty and staff be vaccinated against COVID-19.

In a Monday afternoon email, University President Kristina M. Johnson announced that the university is requiring all students, faculty and staff to have the first jab by Oct. 15, with a second dose by Nov. 15.

The announcement comes amid the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, as well as rising case numbers in Ohio and specifically Franklin County – which the CDC has flagged as a “high transmission” county, meaning that community spread is active.

”The university is taking this step because vaccines are the safest and most effective form of protection against COVID-19. We are focused on enhancing the health and safety of our community,” Johnson said in an email. “This step will increase our ability to support our students in continuing their educational experiences as well as help protect our current and the state’s future workforce.”

While the Pfizer jab has been the only dose approved by the FDA, the university will accept Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or any dose approved by the World Health Organization, Johnson says.

The university’s positivity rate currently sits at 0.61% according to the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes dashboard, with 133 cases.

FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET VACCINATED:

Click here, call 1-800-232-0233, or text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX).