Required Immunizations and Health Information

Student Exemptions and Campus Policies

COVID Vaccine:

Students who are granted an exemption must follow policies for unvaccinated/vaccination status unknown individuals. Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated students should wear masks indoors at all times and outdoors (when social distancing can’t be maintained), and must quarantine if they come into contact with a positive case (even if asymptomatic) and participate in weekly testing.

Exemptions to the vaccine mandates are extremely limited and include only the following categories:

1. Medical Exemption
   • Students may be exempt from this vaccine requirement if a duly licensed health care provider certifies in writing that the COVID-19 vaccination may be detrimental to the student’s health. The campus shall provide reasonable accommodations to those students whose medical condition(s) contraindicates COVID-19 vaccination so long as the failure to be vaccinated does not prevent the student from otherwise fulfilling the programmatic or curricular requirements of their academic program. Students granted a medical exemption will be subject to certain restrictions in the guidance herein and may be subject to other restrictions imposed by the campus.
     
     Medical exemptions will be reviewed on rolling basis but will be extremely limited. The only exceptions that will be considered are circumstances where students have a significant medical consideration and can provide a signed letter of attestation from a medical provider indicating why the student cannot receive the Covid -19 Vaccine. 
   • Students will get confirmation that their request was received and being reviewed. If additional documentation is required, students will be given a 5 day extension to provide this information, or it will be denied.  Fully completed medical exemption forms must be uploaded to the student health portal for review.  
   • Medical Exemption Form
2. Religious Exemption

• Students who hold genuine and sincere religious beliefs that are contrary to COVID-19 vaccination may be exempt after submitting a written statement to that effect as required. Such statement should explain how receiving the COVID-19 vaccination conflicts with the student’s sincere religious belief or practice and how not receiving the COVID-19 vaccination will not otherwise prevent the student’s completion of programmatic or curricular requirements of their academic program. General philosophical or moral objections to the vaccine shall not suffice as the basis for a religious exemption. Students granted a religious exemption will be subject to certain restrictions in the guidance herein and may be subject to other restrictions imposed by the campus.
  
  Religious exemptions will not be accepted after 6/30/2022 for the Fall 2022 semester, unless you are a newly enrolled student.  If you are newly enrolled after this deadline, contact the health center for further instruction. The form to apply for a religious exemption must be printed, completed, signed and uploaded to the Health Center student patient portal.
• Religious exemptions will be reviewed after the June 30th deadline. Students enrolling after this deadline, please contact the Health Center.
• Religious Exemption Form

3. Fully Online: Students who are enrolled in a schedule of fully online classes and do not plan to access campus regularly, do not need to submit proof of vaccination.  If online students plan to come to campus, or access college facilities on a regular basis, they must submit proof of vaccination or have an approved exemption on record.

Exemption Review Process:

 Students who have applied for an exemption will be notified if their application is approved or denied as quickly as possible, but decisions will be sent on a rolling basis. If an exemption application is denied, students will have five days from the date of their denial to get their first dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and provide proof of initial administration (CDC vaccination card uploaded to the student health portal- see full instructions above). Students opting for one of the two-dose vaccines must stay on schedule to receive their second dose in order to remain in compliance. 

Exemptions that were approved for the 2021-2022 academic year do carry over, students do not need to reapply for 2022-2023.

Exemption requests are reviewed on case-by-case basis, they are NOT automatically granted. Exemptions will only be considered if submitted in entirety and on the SUNY Oneonta medical/or religious exemption form. If you are granted an exemption for the COVID vaccine, you will be required to follow the protocol for unvaccinated students.

Booster Requirement Exemption Information:

• Exemptions from the booster requirement for students will be extremely limited. The only exceptions that will be considered are circumstances where students have a significant medical consideration and can provide a signed letter of attestation from a primary care provider or medical doctor indicating why the student cannot receive a booster dose. Letters of medical attestation must be uploaded to the student health portal for review by Jan. 21, 2022. Students will be notified of approval or denial of request.   

Questions pertaining to the exemption process and status of the request should be directed to the Health Center at 607-436-3573 or HealthCenteroneonta.edu. 

 For other immunization waivers, please contact the Health Center directly.
 

An important part of a student’s college experience involves learning about how to optimize their health and well-being and to advocate for their health-related concerns. For some students, this could refer to learning how to make (and keep) a medical appointment, understanding how to get a prescription filled at a pharmacy, or communicating to a health care provider the important details of their health/medication history. The Student Health Center staff is committed to helping students navigate this developmental process. At the same time, we recognize how difficult it is knowing that your student is ill and possibly hours away from home. We also understand the feeling of uncertainty to have your student receive healthcare from providers they do not know. Many parents/guardians also find it frustrating when their students are seen at the Student Health Center and the provider cannot speak with them about their students’ condition or plan of care without the students’ permission.

Working together we can help your student develop skills needed to understand and participate in decisions concerning personal health and to acquire knowledge of accessing medical services and an understanding of the cost of medical care, and the necessity for medical insurance. We can also help students develop healthy behaviors to reduce the risk of illness and injury.

As your student prepares to leave for college, there are some things that parents/guardians can do to help their student manage their health:

• Encourage your student to call and make his or her next medical appointment and obtain general information about the appointment.
• Review the basics of your insurance plan with your student, providing copies of his or her medical, prescription drug, dental, and/or vision insurance cards, discussing any requirements for pre-approval, whether and when to notify the insurance company following hospitalization or emergency room care, and the difference between "in-network" and "out-of-network" care.
• Discuss any seasonal, food, or drug allergies and personal and family medical histories, ensuring that your student can provide the basics to a health care provider.
• Discuss the resources on campus and where to get services for other concerns or medical conditions that may be provided by a local professional in the community.
• Send your student to college with basic first aid and over the counter medication(s).
• Encourage your student to contact health center administration before calling home, if s/he is not satisfied with their service. We always take student concerns seriously!