COVID-19 Vaccine Information

doctor holding cotton ball to patient's arm after giving vaccine in syringe.
 

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

All students, faculty, and staff on the Henrietta campus are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the Fall Semester. Even though the CDC currently recommends a booster for those aged 12 and older, RIT is no longer requiring a COVID-19 booster.

Booster Requirements

RIT is requiring faculty, staff, and students to obtain a booster shot by May 15. However, if COVID-19 conditions change (e.g., a new variant), we reserve the right to reexamine our policies and set a new deadline. The best course of action is to get boosted as soon as you are eligible.

Booster eligibility time frame varies by vaccination and may change according to available data. If you were vaccinated with other WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines, you are most likely eligible for a booster as well. See the CDC booster shot eligibility page for more information.

Students should upload their booster information to the Wellness Portal. Employees should upload their information into Oracle Employee Self-Service or the COVID Booster Information Upload page.

For Students:

The COVID-19 Booster form will appear in the RIT Wellness Portal for any student who has submitted proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccine series. When eligible, students should receive their COVID-19 booster and complete the COVID-19 Booster form to submit proof of their compliance.

Students who have not submitted their COVID-19 vaccine series information yet will have the ability to include booster information in their COVID-19 Vaccine form -- submitting all vaccine information at one time. If they do not have their booster upon completion of the COVID-19 Vaccine form, they should submit proof of their completed COVID-19 vaccine series and will then receive a COVID-19 Booster form to complete at a later time.

Free On-Campus COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Clinics

Wegmans will be on campus to provide the COVID-19 booster vaccine to students, staff, and faculty. You must register for an appointment.

  • Monday, March 21, 2-4 p.m. - August Center, Student Health Conference Room

The following COVID-19 booster vaccines will be available:

  • Moderna – Eligible 5 months after second dose
  • Pfizer – Eligible 5 months after second dose

Register* for an appointment

*Search by ZIP code 14623 and use the date filter to select the date of the clinic you would like to schedule an appointment for. Pay attention to the name of each clinic to ensure you are selecting the clinic titled RIT Community COVID Booster Clinic.

Please keep the following in mind as you schedule your COVID-19 booster vaccine appointment:

  • You will need to wait 15-30 minutes after receiving the vaccine for observation
  • You will need to bring your COVID-19 vaccination record card and insurance card with you to your appointment

If you are unable to attend an upcoming clinic, vaccination site resources are available to help you locate COVID-19 vaccine options in the area.

Vaccination Requirements

All students, faculty, and staff on the Henrietta campus are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for the Fall Semester. More information will be provided later this summer.

Employee Vaccination Requirements

RIT’s Mandatory Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Policy applies to all employees regardless of whether they work on-site or remotely, unless the individual qualifies for and receives an exemption.

Learn more about the employee vaccination policy

Frequently Asked Questions

Gene Polisseni Center Policy

Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination is required for all fans (5 years of age and older) attending RIT men's and women's hockey games at the Gene Polisseni Center. Learn more about the Athletics Visitor Policy.

Unvaccinated Student Testing Requirements

Students who are not fully vaccinated at the time of their arrival will be required to participate in weekly testing starting the week they arrive on campus. Full vaccination means maximal protection, which occurs 14 days after the final dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Learn more about testing requirements

Employee Testing Requirements

Weekly testing of employees who are not yet fully vaccinated will continue until November 17.

Learn more about employee testing requirements

Vaccination Site Resources

Acceptable vaccines include those approved for use in the U.S., accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or approved by the World Health Organization.

For individuals currently residing in Rochester area

Students: Consider scheduling a vaccine appointment at the Wegmans located at 650 Hylan Drive. The RIT off-campus shuttle is available on weekends and stops at the entrance to the Wegmans parking lot. Students who are struggling with the logistics of scheduling a COVID-19 vaccination, including locating available appointments and obtaining transportation, can contact Case Management for support.

Faculty and staff: Rochester Regional Health Family Medicine Practice at RIT has a COVID-19 vaccine sign-up for eligible RIT faculty and staff. Check the RRH website for available appointments or go to the New York state website to schedule an appointment.

For individuals currently residing in New York state

For individuals currently residing outside of New York state

There are a number of resources available to help you find a COVID-19 vaccine outside of New York state:

  • VaccineFinder, which is a free, online service where you can search for pharmacies and providers that offer the vaccination. Information about where COVID-19 vaccines are available is provided directly by pharmacies and providers, in collaboration with states, and is updated daily. VaccineFinder is operated by Boston Children’s Hospital, in partnership with the CDC.
  • CDC Retail Pharmacy List, which includes various pharmacies offering the vaccine through the federal government. This site also allows you to search pharmacies by state.
  • Your state’s department of health website

After testing positive for COVID-19, you will need to postpone getting your booster until your symptoms have resolved and you have met the criteria for discontinuing isolation. In most cases, this shouldn’t be longer than two to three weeks.

After testing positive for COVID-19, you will need to postpone getting your vaccination until your symptoms have resolved and you have met the criteria for discontinuing isolation.

Commencement is scheduled for May 6-7, 2022. RIT plans to host in-person ceremonies with guests. Please check the Commencement website for the most up-to-date information.

Yes. Regardless of whether an enrolled student is on or off-campus, they will be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by January 9, 2022. The final dose of one’s vaccine must be administered no later than December 26, 2021. In addition, students enrolled in fully remote online degree programs and individuals participating in online-only continuing education programs will also be required to be vaccinated.

More information for RIT employees is available on the Employee Expectations page.

COVID-19 vaccines have demonstrated high levels of protection against the COVID-19 virus. We are taking this step in support of our community and global public health. 

Requests for medical and religious exemptions needed to be submitted for non-student employees by December 1, 2021. All philosophical exemptions and the option to submit an attestation that you are not currently on campus were eliminated. 

All enrolled students must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by January 9, 2022. Students who don’t will not be permitted to be on campus or allowed to take any classes.

Students must log into the RIT Wellness Portal to complete the COVID-19 Vaccine form and upload a photo or scanned copy of their vaccination card or receipt with their name, date of birth, name of the vaccine, and the date(s) of the shots.

Acceptable vaccines include those approved for use in the U.S., accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or approved by the World Health Organization.

In order to continue their employment with RIT, all student employees will need to receive their final dose of a vaccine regimen on or before Tuesday, December 21, 2021, to be fully vaccinated by January 4, 2022.

In general, people are considered fully vaccinated:

  • 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
  • 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

Students who are struggling with the logistics of scheduling a COVID-19 vaccination should check New York State-operated vaccination locations or the Finger Lakes COVID-19 Vaccine HUB.

Vaccine requirements for students are not new. Students already are required, under New York state law, to provide proof of vaccinations for certain diseases. The decision to require COVID-19 vaccination for students is consistent with current laws and was made in accordance with the recommendation of the American College Health Association (ACHA) and the Centers for Disease Control.

Yes. CDC guidance is that you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 as the vaccine provides stronger and longer lasting immunity.

If you have questions, ask your personal healthcare provider. Any future health consequences that may arise due to the use of the vaccine will be the responsibility of the vaccine manufacturers and providers as is the case for all vaccines.

Your vaccine did not expire. The New York State Excelsior Pass or other similar systems may require you to re-enter your information every 3-6 months. If you re-enter, your “pass” will be extended. RIT is not currently using this pass, but other New York venues are. It’s a good idea to keep it updated.