UVA Outlines Vaccine Policy for Faculty and Staff in the Academic Division

On Tuesday, the University of Virginia provided updated COVID-19 vaccination guidance for faculty and staff, stating that faculty or staff in the Academic Division will either need to provide proof of vaccination or agree to weekly prevalence testing requirements in the fall semester.

UVA previously announced that COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all students planning to live and work in-person at the University during the 2021-22 academic year. Students must upload proof of vaccination to the Healthy Hoos Patient Portal no later than July 1. Students can seek a medical or religious exemption to the vaccination requirement. If an exemption is granted, those students will be subject to weekly prevalence testing requirements. More information and answers to frequently asked questions are available here.

“The University expects all members of our community to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” Provost Liz Magill and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer J.J. Davis wrote in an email message Tuesday. “Faculty and staff who are not vaccinated will be subject to weekly prevalence testing to help keep them and the people around them safe from the virus.”

The email message included a memo from UVA Human Resources stating that “The University expects all UVA faculty and staff to be vaccinated unless they have a medical or religious reason not to do so,” and provided instructions for sharing proof of vaccination or complying with the prevalence testing program.

The guidance applies to all Academic Division faculty and staff; UVA Health will communicate directly with its team members, including faculty and staff in the School of Medicine and School of Nursing, about vaccination requirements.

Similar to students, faculty and staff unable to provide proof of vaccination will be subject to mandatory saliva or PCR testing once each week or as otherwise directed by the University. Exceptions to that testing requirement, outlined in the memo, include faculty and staff who are working remotely 100% of the time indefinitely, or who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 150 days.

Faculty and staff who have been vaccinated must provide proof of vaccination prior to the start of the fall semester. Guidance about how to submit proof of vaccination in Workday is available here.

Information about when mandatory testing for unvaccinated faculty and staff will begin, how to participate and the consequences of non-compliance will be provided by mid-July.

Anyone who has not been vaccinated can make an appointment online or by calling 434-297-4829.