COVID-19 Vaccinations
Last Updated: Sept. 17, 2021
Booster Shots
Beginning August 19, the Tulane University COVID-19 vaccine clinic will offer COVID-19 booster vaccines to those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.
The CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health currently recommend a Covid-19 booster vaccine for anyone who has:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood.
- Received an organ transplant and is taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or is taking medicine to suppress the immune system.
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome).
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection.
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress immune response.
- Other conditions which cause moderate or severe immunosuppression similar to the above conditions.
Individuals should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition and ask whether getting an additional vaccine dose is appropriate for them. However, a prescription or notation from a physician or other prescriber is not necessary to receive a booster at this time. Patients with one of the above conditions who wish to receive an additional dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine may self-attest to their condition by completing and signing this form. (The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not been authorized for a booster yet). Please note, the same vaccine type (i.e. Pfizer or Moderna) that individuals received for their first two vaccine doses should be the same used for the booster dose. The Tulane vaccination clinic will only offer the Pfizer vaccine.
To make an appointment to receive your booster vaccine, please use this link and choose “Third Dose” for the appointment reason. The self-attestation form and a consent form must also be completed, signed and brought to your scheduled appointment. Individuals should also bring their vaccination card for verification.
We currently have a very limited number of booster doses available for the Tulane community. Family members of Tulane employees who meet the immunocompromised criteria above may contact covidvaccine@tulane.edu to inquire about the availability of booster vaccines for them. General questions about the booster vaccine distribution can als be sent to this email.
Student Vaccinations
All students will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccination for Fall Semester 2021. Additional information regarding the vaccine requirement for international students will be shared soon. Please click here for the locations of vaccination sites at Tulane and throughout the area.
Declining A Vaccination
Students may decline the vaccination for reasons consistent with Louisiana state vaccine laws by submitting a Vaccine Declination Form.
Report Your Vaccination!
All students must submit proof of vaccination or a Declination Form immediately.
Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who have not reported their vaccine status through the patient portal will have classes dropped, registration holds, and housing assignments canceled.
If you have completed the full vaccine sequence from an entity outside of Tulane, please update your vaccination records through the Campus Health Patient Portal. If you have been vaccinated at the Tulane Vaccine Clinic, you do not need to update your records through the Patient Portal.
Employee Vaccinations
The University has adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for All Employees.
All employees, approved volunteers, emeritus faculty, and visiting faculty who physically access a university facility or participate in a university-sponsored program or on-campus activity are covered by this policy. All persons currently at the university and that are covered by this policy must be fully vaccinated by November 15, 2021, unless granted a medical or religious exemption.
The purpose of this policy is to promote important public health measures and facilitate the health and safety of the Tulane community and those within the broader New Orleans community. The COVID-19 vaccines currently available are effective at decreasing the likelihood of contracting COVID-19, preventing serious illness in vaccinated individuals who do contract COVID-19 and limiting the transmission of COVID-19. This vaccination requirement is critical part of the University’s overall plan to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Vaccinated individuals must continue to comply with other applicable University rules regarding COVID-19.
Read the Full Vaccine Policy Update For Employees
Louisiana Vaccine Hotline
The State of Louisiana has a Vaccine Hotline: 1-855-453-0774. The hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. The hotline will help residents schedule vaccine appointments, find vaccine providers in their area and connect people with medical professionals who can answer vaccine-related questions.
Want to learn more about COVID-19 Vaccines? Please click here.
TULANE-SPECIFIC FAQs
For Students
Will the university require students to receive a COVID-19 vaccination for the 2021-22 academic year?
Yes. Tulane University will require all students enrolled or otherwise present on Tulane’s campuses during the 2021-22 academic year to receive, and provide proof of having received, a COVID-19 vaccination authorized by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Students may decline the vaccination for reasons consistent with Louisiana state vaccine laws by submitting a Vaccine Declination Form. In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine, several other immunizations are required for all students by the State of Louisiana and the university. For more information, please refer to Campus Health webpage on required immunizations.
How should students submit proof of vaccination to the university?
If you have completed the full vaccine sequence through an entity outside of Tulane, please update your vaccination records through the Campus Health Patient Portal. If you have been vaccinated at the Tulane Vaccine Clinic, your record will be updated automatically.
What is the deadline for students to submit proof of vaccination or Vaccine Declination Form?
Students enrolling, or otherwise planning to be present on campus, for the 2021-22 academic year must provide proof of having received their final dose of an FDA authorized vaccine (second dose for two-dose vaccine or one dose for single-dose vaccine) by July 15.
Do students need to be vaccinated before moving on to campus?
Yes. New students and continuing students who are not on campus during the summer are expected to receive all required immunizations before arriving on campus for the fall semester and to submit proof of having received these immunizations or a Vaccine Declination Form before arriving on campus.
Will vaccinated students still need to participate in the asymptomatic testing program?
Yes. All faculty, staff, and students are required to participate in ongoing surveillance testing throughout the semester regardless of vaccine status or the presence of antibodies from a previous COVID-19 infection. This is subject to change as public health guidance evolves. More information will be provided closer to the fall.
Would students spending the fall semester abroad or in absentia and not on campus need to be vaccinated?
Students studying abroad need to be vaccinated. Students in absentia for the entire fall 2021 semester are not required to be vaccinated, but they must receive, and provide proof of having received, an FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccine if they plan to return for the spring 2022 semester.
What if a student is unable to receive an FDA authorized vaccine?
Students who are unable to receive an FDA-authorized vaccines (for example, international students traveling from certain countries) prior to their arrival or return to campus for the fall semester will have the opportunity to consult with Campus Health staff about whether vaccination in Louisiana is appropriate. For those who may be directed to be vaccinated here, a grace period for vaccination will be allowed. If students have already received vaccines that are not authorized by the FDA, Campus Health will make individualized determinations about the need for additional vaccines based on which vaccines such students have received and relevant public health guidance. Questions about this can be directed to covidvaccine@tulane.edu.
Some new incoming graduate students are approved as Early Arrivals on campus as soon as July 1. Will they need to provide proof of having been vaccinated by the time they arrive?
Students must provide proof of having received a final dose of an authorized vaccine (second dose for two-dose vaccine or one dose for single-dose vaccine) by August 1. New incoming graduate students who are approved to arrive on campus as early as July 1, should make plans to receive all required immunizations prior to their arrival.
For Faculty and Staff
Is the university requiring that faculty and staff be vaccinated against COVID-19?
Yes, the University has adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. The purpose of this policy is to promote important public health measures and facilitate the health and safety of the Tulane community and those within the broader New Orleans community. The COVID-19 vaccines currently available are effective at decreasing the likelihood of contracting COVID-19, preventing serious illness in vaccinated individuals who do contract COVID-19 and limiting the transmission of COVID-19. This vaccination requirement is critical part of the University’s overall plan to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Vaccinated individuals must continue to comply with other applicable University rules regarding COVID-19.
Will faculty and staff still need to participate in the asymptomatic testing program?
Yes. All faculty, staff, and students are required to participate in ongoing surveillance testing throughout the semester regardless of vaccine status or the presence of antibodies from a previous COVID-19 infection. This is subject to change as public health guidance evolves. More information will be provided closer to the fall.
Will Tulane pay for related expenses should we get sick from the vaccine?
If you work for Tulane and are covered under a Tulane insurance program, those expenses will be paid under your insurance plan.
For All Tulane Community Members
Does the university offer vaccination to faculty, staff, and students?
The Tulane Vaccine Clinic, located on the ground floor of the JBJ Building at 1324 Tulane Avenue, currently has daily appointment openings for COVID-19 vaccine for all students, faculty and staff. Tulane students, faculty and staff can make an appointment via this link. Please fill out the vaccine consent form in advance and bring it to your appointment.
A Vaccine Clinic is also open on the ground floor of Phelps Residence Hall. You may schedule an appointment at either the uptown clinic or the downtown clinic.
What COVID-19 vaccines may be used to fulfill the university’s vaccination requirement?
Students are required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by the FDA. Currently, there are three such vaccines and information about them is available on the FDA website.
How will the university use information I submit regarding my proof of vaccination?
This information may be used to determine your COVID-19 vaccination status and your suitability for certain university activities and for reporting and operational planning purposes. The university will store this information in accordance with its information security policy and will restrict access to a limited number of authorized personnel. In addition, Campus Health and other authorized personnel may use relevant portions of this information to ensure compliance with COVID-19 policies Tulane University has put in place to protect the health and safety of the campus community.
I've been vaccinated. Do I still need to follow university COVID protocols? And should I let the university know I've been vaccinated?
If you've been vaccinated, you must continue to follow university protocols on mask wearing, physical distancing and regular participation in the asymptomatic testing protocol. The only difference is that you may not need to quarantine if you were exposed to a positive case or recently traveled.
If you have completed the full vaccine sequence from an entity outside of Tulane, please update your vaccination records through the Campus Health Patient Portal. If you have been vaccinated at the Tulane Vaccine Clinic, your record will be updated automatically.
Will Tulane be monitoring vaccine recipients?
Yes. If you have already received both doses of your COVID-19 vaccine from an entity outside of Tulane, please submit documentation through the Campus Health patient portal to update your vaccination records. If you have been vaccinated at the Tulane Vaccine Clinic, your record will be updated automatically.
Please email CovidVaccine@Tulane.edu with any further questions.
For more information about vaccines click here.
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COVID-19 REPORTING
As we monitor COVID-19 cases on campus, we are asking members of the Tulane Community to fill out this form if they have tested positive for the virus or are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test from a facility off-campus (anywhere other than Campus Health or the Tulane Testing Centers). This information will help us to reduce the spread of the disease by making sure appropriate areas of campus are cleaned and disinfected and your contacts are notified.