Colleges Will Encourage, Not Require Covid Vaccinations

Lincoln, NE (April 8, 2021)  Nebraska colleges and universities are encouraging students to get vaccinated for the coronavirus, but they won’t require the shots before students return to campus in the fall.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska State College System and the state’s largest private colleges all said this week that they have no plans to require students or staff to get vaccinated. UNL spokesperson Leslie Reed said the university believes the shots are a good idea but it won’t mandate them.

Several private schools, including Hastings College and Midland University, hosted vaccine clinics on their campuses Wednesday to make it easer for students to get their shots.

Southeast Community College students who live in Lancaster County or attend classes at any SCC-Lincoln location are now able to register for the COVID-19 vaccine. While getting the vaccine is highly encouraged, it is not mandatory to enroll in classes at SCC either.

“The opportunity for SCC students to register for the vaccine is exciting because it brings us one more step closer to a ‘more normal’ college experience,” said Bev Cummins, Vice President for Student Affairs at SCC and Lincoln Campus director. “We are happy to be a means of connecting our students with our county health vaccination program to continue addressing the safety of our students and employees.”

Students can register through the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department at this link: https://app.lincoln.ne.gov/aspx/city/covidvac/default.aspx?passcode=788680ed619443cfbab1af04214c3b00. Once registered, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department will then notify the student when and where the vaccine clinic is scheduled.

Currently, SCC has classes in person, online and in a hybrid format, which is a combination of the two. Cummins said it is exciting for the students to be eligible to receive the vaccination, since staff recently got vaccinated as well. Click here for more information about SCC’s COVID-19 policies: https://www.southeast.edu/covid-19/

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