Harvard and Tufts universities are requiring students to get the bivalent COVID-19 booster shot, as the pandemic continues to factor into decision-making at area campuses.
“In order to register for spring term, students must be compliant with all vaccine requirements,” Dr. Giang T. Nguyen, Harvard’s associate provost for campus health and wellbeing, said in a statement posted to the college’s website last month. “This includes the annual flu shot as well as the bivalent Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster.”
Tufts University announced a similar policy last month, requiring “all eligible faculty, staff, and students to receive the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 booster” by Dec. 2.
Boston College is not requiring the bivalent booster but is “strongly recommending it,” said spokesman Jack Dunn.
“We are offering flu and booster shot clinics on campus throughout the fall for our students, faculty, and staff,” Dunn said by email. “We did require that all community members on campus this semester be fully vaccinated and boosted with the first booster shot.”
Boston University is also encouraging but not requiring the bivalent jab, according to an Oct. 11 statement from Dr. Judy T. Platt, BU’s chief health officer.
“While a second booster or ‘fourth dose’ is not required at Boston University, we encourage all those who are eligible to be vaccinated,” Platt said, adding that the school will hold a one-day Pfizer bivalent booster clinic at its Fitness & Recreation Center on Nov. 15.
“Getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 can help protect you from becoming infected from these illnesses,” Platt said. “Even if you do get infected, vaccination can prevent more severe disease and hospitalization.”
Emerson College also does not currently require the bivalent vaccine, spokesperson Michelle Gaseau said Tuesday via email.
“At this very moment this is not a requirement, but the college is always monitoring virus trends as they impact our campuses and community,” Gaseau said, adding that while the bivalent booster is not mandatory, “we do encourage” getting it.
The FDA earlier this month authorized updated COVID-19 boosters for children as young as 5, seeking to expand protection ahead of an expected winter wave.
Medical experts say the updated vaccines have half the recipe that targeted the original coronavirus strain and half tailored against the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions. Such combination, or “bivalent,” boosters are designed to broaden immune defenses so that people are better protected against serious illness.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, urged Americans on Friday to get updated booster shots.
“Respiratory viruses are on the rise across the United States,” Walensky posted on Twitter. “Take preventive actions to stop the spread of viruses like flu, RSV, and #COVID19: Get an updated COVID-19 vaccine & get your annual flu vaccine. Stay home if you are sick. Practice good hand hygiene.”
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.