Important Directions Regarding Vaccine and Exemption Documentation

Dear Students:

I hope you are finding ways to enjoy the summer, whether you are taking classes in Portland or you have traveled elsewhere. I write with some important updates about COVID-19 vaccination for the fall.

Many of you are already fully vaccinated, and have submitted documentation of your vaccination status through the Health Information Portal. This is tremendous news! Thank you. Your efforts to get vaccinated will protect the health of your fellow students, faculty and staff this fall.

The College is committed to returning as soon as possible to the sort of pre-pandemic learning environment that Lewis & Clark prides itself for. While COVID community transmission has diminished significantly in the last month in Oregon, we know our students arrive from all over the United States, and from around the world, and we continue to be on guard against COVID entering our community.

One of our most important tools to create the safest possible learning environment for the fall is our COVID-19 vaccine policy. Effective this fall, students are required to be fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization, or to have an approved medical or non-medical exemption. Please take the following steps as soon as possible:

• Students should take steps to arrive on campus this fall fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (defined as two weeks since the last dose in any series). This means that you should get the first dose in any two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series by early July, or get your dose of any single-dose vaccine by late July.
• Document proof of your vaccination status in the Health Information Portal as soon as possible after you have received the last dose in your vaccination series. For students who have been fully vaccinated, you must upload proof of vaccination status prior to arrival on campus, and not later than August 15.
• Students who will be filing for exemptions should do so as soon as possible and no later than August 1, so that our staff have adequate time to review your requests.
• For students that do not have access to vaccines over the summer, e-mail covid19info@lclark.edu as soon as possible, and we will support you in getting vaccinated soon after your return to campus.

How can you find a place near you to get vaccinated? For students in the United States:

• Visit Vaccines.gov (English) and Vacunas.gov (Spanish)
• Text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX) in English or 822862 (VACUNA) in Spanish
• Call 1-800-232-0233 for assistance in English, Spanish, and 150+ other languages

In the United States, for a limited time, Uber and Lyft are offering free or discounted rides to individuals who need to travel to vaccine appointments. Students residing outside the United States should consult with their local public health authority or health care provider about access to vaccine.

We understand that for different reasons, some students may be hesitant to receive vaccine. If this applies to you, please talk with your healthcare provider, your pharmacist, or e-mail my staff at covid19info@lclark.edu, and we will be glad to talk with you about your concerns. We want you, and our entire community, to be as safe as possible this fall.

If you have questions, please check out the College’s FAQ page for more information about vaccination and exemption. If the FAQ page doesn’t answer your questions, please e-mail us at covid19info@lclark.edu. We are here to help.

Best wishes,

John Hancock, Ed.D.

Associate Dean of Students for Health & Wellness