The University of Minnesota will not require COVID-19 vaccination for students, faculty and staff before returning in the fall — despite criticism from faculty members that a mandate would better shield its five campuses from the infectious disease.
U President Joan Gabel announced the decision Monday but urged vaccination.
"The most effective strategy is access and information," she wrote in an e-mail to campus communities in the Twin Cities, Crookston, Duluth, Morris and Rochester. She added that "a 100% vaccination rate is not possible in any situation," even with a mandate.
The lack of a requirement drew condemnation from a group of faculty members, some of whom treated COVID-19 patients at M Health Fairview hospitals. The U already mandates other vaccinations, they argued, and could boost the immunization rate against COVID-19 to a level that could prevent a resurgence of infections or the emergence of more infectious variants of the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease.
"While most University students are likely to be at low risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19, some have weakened immune systems and may be more vulnerable, and at this point we have the tools to prevent nearly all deaths from COVID-19," they wrote.
The letter was co-authored by Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, a U infectious disease specialist; Dr. Nathan Chomilo, an adjunct faculty member and medical director of Minnesota's Medicaid program; and Dr. Michael Aylward, a U professor of pediatric medicine.
Fifty other faculty members signed on in support of the online letter Tuesday evening, including Dr. Andrew Olson — who has directed M Health Fairview's inpatient COVID-19 care throughout the pandemic.
Gabel questioned the necessity of a mandate, pointing to a U survey of Twin Cities students, faculty and staff in May in which 96% of respondents had received at least one vaccine dose or reported plans to be vaccinated. Among the respondents, 84% reported being fully vaccinated.
