More than 90 percent of students on Ohio State’s Columbus campus have received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine following the Friday deadline. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
As the Friday deadline for the university-mandated first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has passed, the vaccination rate for the Buckeye community has increased about 19 percent since July 22.
More than 89.8 percent of university community members and 90 percent of students on the Columbus campus have received the COVID-19 vaccine, according to an Ohio State News release Monday. The second dose deadline is Nov. 15.
“Thanks to the willingness of so many Buckeyes to get vaccinated, our campuses are healthier and we have been able to enjoy more of the in-person experiences that are so integral to Ohio State,” University President Kristina M. Johnson said in the release.
The university requires the vaccine for all Buckeyes, with exemptions accepted on a case-by-case basis. Any student who does not receive the vaccine will be unable to schedule classes in person for the spring 2022 semester.
According to the Safe and Healthy Buckeyes COVID-19 dashboard, 0.36 percent of 17,886 people tested positive for the coronavirus in the last seven days.
The university received 5,988 vaccine exemption requests from students, faculty and staff, according to Ohio State News. Two hundred thirty-three requests have been denied, mostly due to missing documentation or incomplete forms.
