UD requires all employees to get COVID-19 vaccine

The new requirement also affects student employees and is necessary to comply with President Joe Biden’s executive order issued Sept. 9 requiring vaccination for federal employees, which also applies to federal contractors.

“The university has long been a federal contractor, conducting important research, supporting undergraduate and graduate students and advancing the local economy,” the announcement said, the Flyer News reported. “Based on these contracts, the university campus is considered a federal contractor workplace and, therefore, the entire employee base is subject to the terms of the executive order.”

UD employs more than 600 full-time ranked faculty, 1,500 full-time staff and 550 Research Institute staff, according to its website.

As of Sunday, 84% of employees are vaccinated, and 72% of students received the vaccine, according to the university’s COVID-19 data.

Vaccinations must be completed by Nov. 24 and reported to UD by midnight Dec. 8.

University employees are able to submit an exemption form by Nov. 24 to opt out of the requirement for medical or religious reasons.

Vaccination clinics have been scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in Curran Place’s Marshall Room and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday in Kennedy Union’s East Ballroom, the Flyer News reported.