MAINE, USA — Pfizer and BioNTech asked the Food and Drug Administration on Friday for full approval of the companies' COVID-19 vaccine, and that could change vaccination policy at UMaine.
So far the vaccine has been distributed under emergency use authorization.
University of Maine System Chancellor Dannel Malloy said the system would most likely require vaccinations for all on-campus students and staff once a vaccine has full approval.
"I think people are entitled to know that it has been fully tested and vetted before we as a state system would require it," Malloy said. "But once it is vetted and full approval is given, just as we require other vaccines, there’s a very high likelihood, if not an expectation, that we would look at requiring this one for anyone who wanted to visit our campus, be on our campus, live on our campus."
Malloy said the university system is following guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and plans to give plenty of notice before the fall schedule.
Private colleges in Maine including Bowdoin College and the University of New England have already said vaccines will be required for those on campus this fall.