George Washington University and American University in D.C. have announced a booster shot requirement for their communities ahead of the spring semester.
George Washington announced its requirement on Monday, saying that those eligible should get their booster shots no later than Feb. 1, 2022.
Those who do not submit proof of vaccination to the university by that date will be required to be tested weekly during the spring semester until they are compliant with the mandate. Students who do not submit their vaccination status by March 15, 2022 will not be able to register for summer and spring courses.
George Washington University said Monday that its internal genetic sequencing had detected a small number of omicron variant cases among the school’s community. The campus said it could not reveal details about those who tested positive, except that they had not traveled internationally recently “which means the Omicron variant is now circulating in the region.”
American University followed suit on Wednesday, requiring all eligible community members receive a booster shot by Feb. 10, 2022, or 14 days after they become eligible for the booster. The requirement applies to all students, staff and faculty, whether they are on campus or working remotely.
Those who were eligible for an exemption from either school’s vaccine mandate will also be exempt from the booster requirement, the universities said.
Georgetown University implemented a similar requirement on Tuesday.
- Sign up for WTOP alerts
- Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Latest vaccination numbers in DC, Maryland and Virginia
Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.
