Gonzaga requiring students, faculty and staff to get COVID-19 booster
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SPOKANE, Wash. - Effective immediately, Gonzaga University will require students, staff and faculty to receive the COVID-19 booster shots.
In response to the surge of the omicron variant, Gonzaga University President Thayne M. McCulloh posted a statement on Thursday about the updated COVID-19 guidance for the upcoming semester.
All vaccinated campus-based students, staff and faculty will be required to receive the booster shot within 14 days of becoming eligible.
People who are eligible should update their Medicat status with booster information, including both a photo of their CDC Card and the date of the booster, as soon as possible but no later than Jan. 21.
Anyone who has received an approved exemption from COVID-19 vaccination for medical or religious purposes should have already submitted a verified exemption form and may be required to complete additional testing, the school said.
"We strongly recommend that you receive your booster shot before the end of holiday break if you are eligible to do so," said McCulloh.
Along with boosters, the school is requiring all students, whether they are vaccinated or unvaccinated and boosted or not boosted, to test for COVID-19 within 48 hours before returning to campus.
The school is asking students to schedule a testing appointment or obtain an at-home test as soon as possible in order to meet this requirement.
The Spokane Regional Health District has advised that cases are expected to sharply rise within Spokane County in the coming weeks.
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