The University of Maine System says all in-person students will be required to receive a COVID-19 booster shot or be tested weekly beginning in February.
The new guidance comes after several private schools, including Bates College and College of the Atlantic, announced plans to require boosters this spring. The spread of the Omicron variant forced some colleges to move to remote learning at the end of last semester.
UMaine System officials say students without a booster will be expected to limit activities until they receive a negative test result at the beginning of the semester, on Jan.18. And students and staff will need to be boosted after February 1st in order to leave the state for college-related activities.
Chancellor Dannel Malloy says that the system also plans to follow CDC guidance if the agency adds booster shots to its definition of full vaccination, and could act even sooner. Last fall, the UMaine System required all in-person students to be fully vaccinated to take part in on-campus experiences.
