Virginia Commonwealth University Doesn't Plan on Mandating Vaccines - So What is Their Plan?

Yellow VCU sign in front of the Student Commons. This photo was taken by Yaba Ahounou.

Date: 5/22/2021 By: Yaba Ahounou

RICHMOND, Va. - Hampton University will now require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19, making it the first university in Virginia to do so. Over 100 U.S. universities made similar decisions with new ones being added every day, including private universities like Cleveland State and Cornell and public universities like Rutgers.

As of now, Virginia Commonwealth University does not have a plan on mandating any COVID-19 vaccines to students. However, Dr. Scott Strayer, co-chair for VCU's Public Health Response Team, points out that with such an evolving topic, their decision could possibly change. As the chair of the department of family medicine and population health, he personally saw a mandatory vaccine implementing process at an individual or institutional level.

“For example, with meningitis vaccinations, I believe most universities require that. But it’s not mandated by the state or federal government,” he said. “I could see it being required playing across our school, but I doubt it’s going to be something mandated at the national or state level because of how our democracy works.”

He also saw it becoming mandatory through the military and workforce, especially to those who travel frequently. Even if VCU does require students to get vaccinated, the vaccines aren’t authorized by the federal government to do so, according to him.

Three COVID-19 vaccines are approved under emergency use authorizations (EUA). With this, they can allow unapproved medicine or unapproved uses of approved medicine to diagnose, treat or prevent a life-threatening disease during public health emergencies.

However, they don’t have a full license known as a Biologics License Application (BLA).

With a BLA, manufacturers must take responsibility for compliance with product and establishment standards, according to the FDA website. This includes applicant information, product/manufacturing information, pre-clinical studies, clinical studies and labeling. Until a vaccine receives a full license from the FDA, it’s only for experimental therapy use, so therefore the federal government cannot mandate them.

Right now, VCU’s main focus is sending public health messages to people who are hesitant about taking the vaccine. Along with cooperating with communities, Strayer suggested on working with city and state health departments "to look at the broader picture of how do we take care of Richmond" and provide "an appropriate, equitable distribution."

Providing Vaccines to Richmond Communities

Catherine Long, the public information officer for Richmond-Henrico Health Districts, said the Richmond community’s main focus is providing vaccines to those with little to no access. This includes older residents, black, brown and Hispanic/Latinx communities, families with lower-income and residents with lack of transportation.

“We’ve done a lot of work partnering with faith leaders and community leaders holding vaccination opportunities on site within communities,” she said.

The health department provides community hubs across neighborhoods that reach residents experiencing greater barriers to vaccination or overall health.

Community hub’s first partner Second Baptist Church helped over 1,400 residents register for COVID vaccines; 1,250 were already vaccinated. This gave residents an opportunity to talk to a familiar face about the vaccines, according to the website.

VCU’s Fall Semester 2021

VCU anticipates both Monroe Park and MCV campuses to fully operate in-person events for the on-campus experience for students next semester, with health and safety measurements such as wearing face masks, daily health monitoring and maintaining physical distancing will remain constant for the time being.

VCU Vaccine Corps, a faculty-run volunteer program, has also helped local residents and VCU members get vaccinated.

Re-establishing connections and communication still becomes a challenge with Zoom classes advancing, hybrid classes increasing and people preferring to work from home.

Michael Cimis, another member of VCU’s Public Health Response Team, said that as exciting as things returning back to normal, everything needs to be taken with caution.

“Sometimes things can seem to be better or normal,” he said. “but we have to understand that the healthcare system is where these outcomes end up if we don’t manage the pandemic.”