SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Two of the nation's largest university systems say they intend to require COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, faculty and staff on University of California and California State University campuses this fall once the Food and Drug Administration gives formal approval.
Several U.S. colleges and universities have said they plan to require the vaccination on campuses this fall. But Thursdays joint announcement from the 10-campus University of California and the 23-campus California State University is the largest of its kind in American higher education. The CSU system in the nation's biggest, with about 485,000 students and tens of thousands of staff.
Together, the CSU and UC enroll and employ more than one million students and employees across 33 major university campuses, so this is the most comprehensive and consequential university plan for COVID-19 vaccines in the country, CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro said in the statement.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being distributed under the FDAs emergency authorization. Health experts expect formal approval of at least one by the fall. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is on pause due to concerns about blood clots.