Date: December 14, 2021
To:  THE NYU COMMUNITY
From:  Katherine Fleming, Provost
Martin Dorph, Exec. Vice President
Dr. Carlo Ciotoli, Exec. Lead, COVID-19 Prevention & Response Team

Amid the continuing transmission of the Delta variant, expansion of the Omicron variant, rising case counts in New York and on our campus, and public health guidance strongly encouraging all eligible Americans to receive a booster, NYU will require that all members of the NYU community (excluding those with approved exemptions) who are eligible must receive a COVID-19 booster vaccination by January 18, 2022 and upload proof of the vaccination.

Eligibility

“Eligible” includes all those 16 years old or older for whom 1) six months have passed since receiving their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines; 2) six months have passed since receiving their final dose of any WHO-listed vaccine; or 3) two months have passed since receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Where to Obtain the Booster Shot

NYUers may receive the booster shot through NYU (depending on availability) or through any other care provider offering the booster, either in NYC, in NY State, or elsewhere. If appointments are not available through NYU, do not hesitate to book an appointment elsewhere through the city site, the state site, or other resources (although you can also check back later to see if additional NYU appointments have been made available).

The shot is free. NYU employees who go to get their booster during work hours are entitled to four hours of absent time that will not be charged against their bank of sick time.

Uploading Proof of the Booster Shot Is Also Required

Whether you have already received the booster or you will be doing so between now and January 18, 2022, you are required to upload proof of having received the booster.

Please note: You should bring your vaccination card to be updated when you go to get your booster shot, or remember to obtain some other form of proof you can upload. The earlier you upload proof, the better; each submission is reviewed by the NYU Immunization Compliance Team, and receiving submissions earlier reduces the likelihood of “jam ups” close to January 18, 2022.

Booster Shots for Those Not Currently Eligible

Our records reflect that about 80% of the NYU community is currently eligible (based on the date of their prior vaccination), and that about 3,000 NYU community members have already uploaded proof of having received a booster. Those for whom not enough time has passed since their last shot of a COVID-19 vaccination to be currently eligible for boosters are expected to get a booster and upload proof within seven (7) days of becoming eligible.

Exempt Individuals

Individuals who previously received exemptions from NYU’s vaccination requirement continue to be exempted from the booster requirement.

In Summary

A booster vaccination against COVID-19 will be a vital — and required — part of NYU’s effort to enhance the safety of the NYU community. We want to give you as much notice as possible to get your required COVID-19 booster vaccination and upload your proof before the deadline.

This notice may elicit questions for you. We will be updating the website and FAQs in the coming days, and will notify you by email when these FAQs are available.

Keep each other Safe