COVID-19 vaccination updates
Dear Cornell Community,
We’re writing today to provide you with important updates on COVID-19 vaccination requirements for the Ithaca, Geneva, and Cornell Tech campuses.
Eliminating vaccination requirements
Effective at the end of this semester, May 20, 2023, Cornell will no longer require students or employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and/or obtain a medical or religious exemption. New students, faculty, and staff will not need to provide proof of vaccination prior to beginning their studies or employment.
We urge all students and employees to follow CDC guidelines and stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination was an important element of our strategy to keep our campuses safe during the height of the pandemic and continues to provide protection against severe disease.
Cornell is aligned with peer universities and employers in lifting this requirement. In addition, analysis by the Cornell COVID-19 modeling team found that mandating vaccination for the fall 2023 semester would not result in a substantial reduction in the spread of infection. This is due to factors such as existing vaccination rates, recovery from previous infection, and rapidly evolving variants.
Take personal action to help protect the community
COVID-19 continues to be one of many communicable diseases that surround us. Help protect yourself and others by staying at home if you are feeling ill for any reason. Get a COVID-19 booster if you have not had one already and when you are next eligible and follow CDC guidelines as they change with the evolution of the virus.
Antigen test kits remain available for free to all students, faculty, and staff. Please continue to report positive COVID-19 test results through the Daily Check and follow the instructions provided by Cornell Campus Public Health Support. Masks are also available, and we ask that all members of our community continue to support and respect one another’s masking choices.
Though vaccination is no longer mandatory, we urge all members of our community to remain vigilant against COVID-19. Thank you for your continued attention to keeping our community a safe and healthy place to live, learn, and work.
Sincerely,
Mike Kotlikoff
Provost
Ryan Lombardi
Vice President for Student and Campus Life
Christine Lovely
Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer