AKRON, Ohio — Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a related story published on August 27, 2021.
Just hours after Kent State University announced that the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine would be mandatory for all staff and students, the University of Akron has announced that they will follow suit.
All students, staff, and "contract professionals" must be fully vaccinated against the virus by Dec. 13, according to a post on the school's Facebook page. The move comes in the wake of the FDA giving full authorization to Pfizer's COVID two-dose vaccine, with shots from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson still only being granted emergency authorization.
"In order to continue our efforts to keep the campus community as healthy and safe as possible, the vaccine requirement was put in place," the university said in a statement.
Those affected can obtain an exemption from the vaccine for medical reasons or for "sincerely held religious beliefs or reasons of conscience." Should students not obtain a waiver, they will not be allowed to enroll at Akron for the upcoming spring semester.
Akron is just the latest Northeast Ohio school to mandate the COVID-19 vaccines for its students. Besides Kent State, John Carroll University will also be requiring the shots. Further south, the Ohio State University made a similar announcement, which has extra intrigue due to its status as a powerhouse in college athletics.
The University of Akron has established a call center for those with questions about the requirement. You can call (855) 308-9227 weekdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. beginning this coming Monday.