Georgia Public Universities Won’t Mandate COVID-19 Vaccine

In this April 8 photo, Georgia Tech employee Adam Jackson receives a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination at the Vaccination Site on the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The University System of Georgia announced Thursday that students and employees will not be required to be vaccinated for the start of the fall 2021 semester.

Danny Karnik / Associated Press file

Georgia’s 26 public universities and colleges do not currently plan to require students, faculty or staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the fall, according to guidance issued Thursday by the University System of Georgia.

The 340,000-student university system in March asked all campuses “to plan for resuming normal operations for the Fall 2021 semester.” Thursday’s guidance further elaborates on that theme, saying fully vaccinated people won’t have to socially distance or wear masks, while unvaccinated people “are strongly encouraged to continue” socially distancing and wearing a mask inside. Summer classes may still socially distance, depending on what a college decides.

The universities are supposed to make sure vaccinations are available on campus or through a local partnership, but schools won’t be “responsible for assessing current COVID-19 vaccination rates for their institution.”