Expanded vaccine acceptance
The information below on expanded vaccine acceptance will take effect for the fall semester. Prior to the fall semester, Cornell will only accept FDA-authorized vaccines.
The additional vaccines indicated below (Astra-Zeneca and Sinopharm) are NOT eligible vaccines for participants or guests wishing to attend May 2021 Commencement events. Please see the Public Health Protocols sections of the students and guests Commencement pages for alternative eligibility options.
May 18, 2021
Dear international students,
We are happy to write to let you know that Cornell University will be able to accept all vaccines approved by the following three organizations: the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the EMA (European Medical Association) and the WHO (World Health Organization). As of today, May 18, 2021, the vaccines approved by an appropriate organization are the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Sinopharm and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
As soon as you are vaccinated, you should upload your information in the Daily Check Portal. The vaccination requirement goes into effect at the beginning of the fall term.
It is important to note that although Cornell is accepting vaccines approved by the FDA, EMA and WHO, at this time New York State only accepts FDA-approved vaccines. This means that activities overseen by the Department of Health (such as contact tracing in the event of a positive case) will treat anyone not fully vaccinated with an FDA-approved vaccine as non-vaccinated. In the example of contact tracing, individuals who are exposed to COVID and who are not vaccinated with an FDA-approved vaccine will be required to quarantine.
Students who arrive on campus without a vaccine approved by the FDA, EMA or WHO will need to be vaccinated on-site as quickly as possible. You are not required to arrive in Ithaca earlier than planned to be vaccinated and you may attend classes while waiting for the vaccines to take full effect, but it is expected that you make every effort to become vaccinated as quickly as possible upon arrival. Students who arrive on campus who have been vaccinated with a vaccine NOT approved by the United States FDA are eligible to be re-vaccinated in Tompkins County with an FDA approved vaccine. We encourage you to consider doing so as this will satisfy all New York State vaccine requirements.
If New York State adjusts its vaccination/quarantine regulations we will let you know, but we thought it would be helpful to be informed right away that the university has expanded the list of vaccines that will satisfy our requirements.
Sincerely,
Mike Kotlikoff
Provost
Gary Koretzky
Vice Provost for Academic Integration
Wendy Wolford
Vice Provost for International Affairs