Bivalent COVID-19 boosters are recommended

September 27, 2022

Dear Johns Hopkins Community:

We are pleased to have returned to substantially more on-campus activities this fall and appreciate everything our students, staff, and faculty are doing to avoid catching or spreading COVID-19, which is still circulating in our communities. Among our tools, vaccination and boosting have proved to be successful in reducing the severity of symptoms, and we encourage you to get the bivalent booster recently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if you are eligible.

As our health experts discussed in a Hub story earlier this month, the new bivalent booster targets the original strain of COVID and omicron subvariants. It is now available at doctor’s offices and pharmacies two months after you receive a primary vaccination or a previous booster. JHU is planning to have the vaccine available at several onsite clinics. Updated COVID boosters can both help restore protection that has decreased since previous vaccination and provide broader protection against newer variants.

COVID vaccination and boosters are required for all faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and undergraduate and graduate students who work or study at a Johns Hopkins campus or worksite in the United States, or who travel on behalf of the university. At this time, Johns Hopkins University is not requiring the new bivalent booster if you have received another approved COVID booster. Individuals who are getting their first booster in order to meet JHU requirements will likely get the bivalent booster.

Information about JHU requirements and exceptions is on the Coronavirus Information website. School of Medicine affiliates continue to follow Johns Hopkins Medicine guidance.

JHU is also requiring that all affiliates get a flu shot or obtain an approved medical or religious exception and have proof uploaded to the Vaccine Management System by Nov. 18. People who need a flu vaccine and are eligible for a bivalent booster can get them at the same time where they are available.

Johns Hopkins recognizes that the bivalent booster is a good option for our students, faculty, and staff to continue to protect themselves and our community against COVID. We hope you will take advantage of it and other safety strategies as we enter the winter months.

Sincerely,

Kevin Shollenberger
Vice Provost for Student Health & Well-Being

Stephen Gange
Professor and Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Pierre Joanis
Vice President for Human Resources

Jon Links
Professor, Vice Provost, and Chief Risk Officer