Northwestern University officials expect to decide in “early May” on “potential vaccine requirements for students,” according to Provost Kathleen Hagerty.
A small but growing number of universities nationwide, including Loyola in Chicago, will mandate COVID-19 shots for students in the fall.
In a letter posted on the NU website, Hagerty also said, “@e intend to be in-person for the Fall Terms to the extent that public health guidance will allow.”
Most Northwestern classes have been held remotely since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020. Some courses have used a hybrid model, part in-person and part online.
Hagerty says, “Given the safety, efficacy and widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the overall health landscape at Northwestern,” returning to primarily in-person classes makes sense, or at least it seems that way now.
But the provost adds that “if the environment deteriorates” with worsening coronavirus metrics, the in-person timeline “could be delayed.”
For now, though, she says, “We are optimistic about the summer and fall and are planning under these assumptions.”