Villanova University is the latest school in our area to require students and staff to receive the COVID vaccination ahead of the fall semester. 

On Thursday, Villanova University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, sent a letter to the school community announcing all students, faculty and staff must be fully vaccinated by August 1, 2021. 

“The results of our vaccine survey sent at the end of last semester indicated that the vast majority of responding community members are already vaccinated,” Rev. Donohue wrote. “My hope is that by requiring the vaccine for all community members, we can lift most of the mitigation measures from this past year and provide the safest possible environment for both the University and local community.”

Donohue said vaccine documentation will be part of every student’s health record through Villanova’s Student Health Center while Human Resources will facilitate documentation for the school’s faculty and staff. 

Exemptions may be requested for medical and religious reasons, according to Donohue. He also said the school will make provisions for international students to receive the vaccine once they're on campus if they can’t make the requirement before the fall semester. 

“While the vaccine directive is welcome news to some, I appreciate that not everyone will agree with or be happy about it,” Donohue wrote. “However, it is necessary to allow for the vibrant on-campus experience that has made Villanova flourish for the past 179 years. Requiring the vaccine allows for in-person instruction, a full slate of extracurricular and service-related activities, residence and dining halls at full occupancy, and many more of the typical Villanova experiences.”

More information on the vaccine and requirements can be found on Villanova’s website. 

Villanova’s announcement comes a day after the University of Pennsylvania announced that all faculty, staff and post-doctoral trainees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before the start of their fall semester.