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Students attending Bethany College must be vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to the start of the school year, the college announced Wednesday.
The private college, with a total enrollment of 534 according to U.S. News and World Report, had been discussing since May what its policy on COVID vaccinations would be. In Brooke County, where Bethany is located, the virus can barely be found.
According to the Department of Health and Human Resources website, the county had an infection rate of 0.65 cases per 100,000 residents and a percent positivity of 0.40 as of Wednesday morning. It was one of 16 counties on Tuesday's map with an infection rate under 1.00.
The decision, according to the college's news release, was finalized by the college's Pandemic Response Team in accordance with ongoing guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The COVID-19 vaccination has been added to the college's existing list of student immunization requirements, including meningitis, polio, DPT, MMR, and tetanus booster.
As it does with all required vaccinations, Bethany College will honor immunization exemptions for medical, religious, and philosophical reasons. No student receiving an exemption will be prevented from fully participating in courses, campus activities, or athletics.
Specific provisions for students requesting exemptions will be made available on July 15 and may include surveillance testing, symptom tracking, and masking in certain situations.
There was no mention in the release about the consequences of a student refusing to be vaccinated and not receiving an exemption. The release also did not specify what constituted a philosophical reason to request an exemption. College officials could not immediately be reached for comment on that matter.