BRUNSWICK, Maine — Bowdoin College is requiring students, faculty, and staff to get a COVID-19 booster shot in order to return to campus next semester.
Bowdoin President Clayton Rose said in a letter to the campus community Wednesday that the college is requiring all students, faculty, and staff to receive their booster within 30 days of becoming eligible.
According to Rose, for all but a small number of faculty and staff, this means they will need to get a booster on or before Jan. 21.
The college already requires all students to be fully vaccinated with two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
To make obtaining a booster more convenient for students, faculty, and staff, Rose said the college will provide a COVID-19 booster clinic on campus next week in partnership with Mid Coast Hospital.
The details of the clinic are as follows:
Location: Farley Field House
Dates: Monday, Dec. 13; Wednesday, Dec. 15; and Friday, Dec. 17
Hours: 8 a.m. to noon
Booster: Pfizer
Bates College, Colby College, the University of Maine, and the University of New England all said they encourage boosters but have not yet mandated them for students returning for the spring semester.
"We are considering mandating boosters but haven't made a final decision yet," UNE spokeswoman Sarah Delage said. "We are also holding booster clinics on both the Biddeford and Portland campuses for our students and employees this week."
"We are encouraging boosters for our students, we are not yet requiring them," Bates spokeswoman Mary Pols said.
"We are strongly encouraging a booster shot with an awareness campaign featuring Chancellor Malloy, UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy and other university leaders as we conclude the fall semester but have not yet announced a booster mandate for the spring semester," UMaine spokesman Dan Demeritt said.
A spokesman for Colby College told NEWS CENTER Maine, "Colby’s number one priority is the health and safety of our community, and we remain committed to providing the safest possible environment. The College's multifaceted approach to Covid-19 has allowed us to remain on campus, living and learning together, with limited transmission of the virus. Colby is considering the possibility of requiring a Covid-19 booster for the upcoming winter/spring semester but a final decision has not yet been made. However, we are encouraging our faculty, staff and students to receive Covid-19 booster shots along with flu shots, and will continue to provide on-campus clinics for that purpose."
For more information on Bowdoin's booster requirement, click here.
