Updated vaccine requirements

May 9, 2023

Dear JHU Community,

As we close out this academic year and head into summer, we want to provide an update to our COVID-19 vaccination policy.

In consultation with the Johns Hopkins University Health Advisory Group and other public health experts across our campuses, and given the impending expiration of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration, Johns Hopkins University is simplifying its COVID-19 vaccine policy.

All incoming students and employees must have received at least one dose of any FDA- or WHO-authorized vaccine. This will not impact current affiliates who have been vaccinated or have received an appropriate exemption. This change is effective immediately.

This simplified policy aligns with current CDC and FDA guidelines. It also more closely matches the wide availability of the single dose COVID-19 vaccine, as the original two-shot series is scarce. All future COVID-19 vaccination policy updates will be posted on covidinfo.jhu.edu. 

COVID-19 remains a serious illness, and we must continue to be diligent to prevent the spread of the virus. While we have simplified our policy, we strongly encourage COVID-19 vaccination, as per CDC and FDA guidance. Those who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines have lower risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 than those who are unvaccinated or have received only the primary series. Updated COVID-19 boosters can help restore protection that has decreased since previous vaccination.

We will continue to closely monitor public health conditions, and if we need to reinstate measures (including additional vaccination requirements) to protect the health and safety of our community and our neighbors, we will do so. We will include the COVID-19 vaccine in our annual review process with the Johns Hopkins University Health Advisory Group.

Johns Hopkins University will continue with several policies that began in 2020, including prohibiting smoking/vaping across university campuses and properties and requiring our students and employees to receive an annual influenza vaccine or an approved medical or religious exemption. The flu vaccine is updated annually based on circulating strains and meaningfully reduces the likelihood of infection and transmission.

To ensure that the influenza vaccine is accessible to our affiliates, we will continue to offer on-campus clinics next fall. All JHU faculty, staff, and students can also get the flu vaccination for free with their health insurance from a local pharmacy or a primary care physician. The full policy, information about on-campus vaccination clinics, and instructions on how to submit your vaccination records can be found online at the Mandatory flu vaccine policy page.

As a reminder, the vaccine mandates outlined in this message do not apply to JHU students and employees who are 100% remote—that is, those who never visit any Johns Hopkins facility or conduct business in any public or private setting on Johns Hopkins’ behalf. Johns Hopkins Medicine and Applied Physics Laboratory employees are subject to their respective policies and procedures regarding COVID and influenza vaccination. School of Medicine affiliates follow JHM policies and procedures.

Sincerely,

Stephen Gange
Interim Provost

Jon Links
Vice Provost and Chief Risk Officer

Kevin Shollenberger
Vice Provost for Student Health and Wellbeing

Pierre Joanis
Vice President of Human Resources