Bowling Green State University is no longer mandating coronavirus vaccines.
In an email to the campus community on Thursday, Chief Health and Wellness Officer Ben Batey said COVID-19 vaccines including booster shots are strongly recommended, although not required.
BGSU also no longer requires face coverings, which was announced in February, or COVID-19 testing regardless of vaccination status.
“BGSU continues to see a high vaccination rate among our students, faculty and staff – far above the rates in our region and across the state of Ohio,” Batey said. “Getting a COVID-19 vaccine remains an effective tool in combating the virus, and the university continues to encourage anyone who is able to get a COVID-19 vaccine and stay up to date with their boosters as it relates to their personal health needs.”
According to the BGSU coronavirus dashboard, for spring semester, 80.5% of students were vaccinated, with 15.5% getting exemptions and total compliance was 96%.
Of students living in residence halls, 85.5% were vaccinated, there were 13.8% exemptions and total compliance was 99.3%.
For faculty and staff, 90.95% were vaccinated, 6% had exemptions and total compliance was 96.9%
“With the high vaccination rate, access to fast and reliable testing, the improvements in treatments along with a better understanding of this virus, we continue to adjust our planning moving forward. As we look ahead to the fall, we recognize that we have never been in a better position to manage COVID-19,” Batey said.
Public health planning for the fall semester is underway, and the university is moving into the next phase of managing COVID-19, he said.
BGSU continues to partner with local health departments and the Ohio Department of Health to track COVID-19 trends and to monitor future COVID-19 vaccine developments.
These efforts are paired with significant improvements in treatments and changes in the variants that have resulted in less hospitalizations and deaths across the nation.
“We concluded this spring semester with some of our lowest case numbers recorded since the onset of this global pandemic,” Batey said.
“Our guiding principle has been and remains a balanced approach to encourage personal responsibility, adjustments as needed to public health guidelines and to create an environment for a Bowling Green State University education to move forward for our students.”
In September, BGSU announced the coronavirus vaccine mandate for the spring semester.
Students, faculty and staff had to provide proof of coronavirus vaccination or receive an approved exemption. The deadline was Nov. 29.
