BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — California State University Bakersfield (CSUB) announced Tuesday that students, faculty and staff are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 for the fall semester.
CSUB students and employees must certify they have been immunized before Sept. 30. Details to submit vaccination information securely or to apply for a medical or religious exemption are forthcoming, according to a press release.
“The current surge in COVID cases due to the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant is an alarming new factor that we must consider as we look to maintain the health and well-being of students, employees and visitors to our campus this fall,” said CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro in a press release. “Receiving the COVID vaccine continues to be the best way to mitigate the spread of the virus. We urge all members of the CSU community to be vaccinated as soon as possible, and announcing this requirement now allows members of the CSU community to receive multiple doses of vaccine as we head into the beginning of the fall term.”
CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny said in an email to the university community Tuesday: “CSUB is in full support of the chancellor’s decision to prioritize the health and safety of our campus family, and we urge all unvaccinated members of our university to begin the vaccination process without delay to meet the requirement and rejoin campus life.”
CSUB will continue to require face coverings be worn at all times indoors at both campuses, according to the press release. Masking outdoors is necessary only if social distancing of six feet cannot be observed.
