Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements of the past century and save an estimated 3 million lives every year. Consistent with the position of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Fort Lewis College strongly supports vaccination in general as one of the easiest and most effective tools in preventing diseases that can cause serious illness and even death. For nearly all people, the benefits of preventing disease with a vaccine far outweigh the risks.
Effective January 24, 2022, Fort Lewis College requires all faculty, staff, and enrolled students, age 18 years or older, to be vaccinated and have received a booster shot, against COVID-19 to participate in in-person classes, campus housing, and to participate in other in-person activities, services, and events.1
Individuals who are not eligible for a booster shot before January 24th, will subsequently receive a booster within fourteen (14) days of their eligibility date. Individuals are eligible for a booster five months after their primary Pfizer or Moderna series or two months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Pursuant to CDC guidance, those who have been Fully Vaccinated outside of the U.S. are eligible for a single booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after full vaccination.
If you recently tested positive for COVID-19, you will be exempt from the booster requirement for 90 days. To be considered for this exemption, a positive test result from a testing facility must be uploaded to the Health Center portal through the FLC app. However, if you are eligible for a booster within those 90 days, it is recommended that you get your shot after your symptoms have resolved. People who received monoclonal antibodies as part of their COVID-19 treatment plan will need to wait 90 days before getting a COVID booster.
Students living on-campus must submit completed COVID-19 immunization records or receive an exemption prior to moving into their on-campus residence or participating in on-campus activities. FLC will make COVID-19 vaccines available at no cost during on campus move-in for students living on campus.
Students living off-campus who plan to attend in-person classes must submit completed COVID-19 immunization records or receive an exemption prior to participating in on-campus activities. FLC will make COVID-19 vaccines available on campus at no cost for students living off-campus prior to the start of classes.
If students have not started the vaccination process or received an exemption prior to participating in on-campus activities, their Daily Health Pass on the FLC App will be turned red, which will prohibit them from attending in-person classes, attending on-campus activities, and from entering on-campus housing. Their health pass will not be turned back to green until written confirmation of compliance with the vaccination requirement is received and confirmed. In the absence of an approved accommodation for a requested exemption (described below), faculty will not be required to adjust their course delivery for students who fail to comply with the immunization requirement.
Students should use the following information to assist in submitting records:
After submitting an immunization record, students will receive an email of receipt by the end of the subsequent business week.
Students have the right to request an exemption from this vaccination for a medical or non-medical (religious or personal belief) reason. This Policy adopts the terms and definitions used by the State of Colorado for other vaccinations. To request an exemption, students should submit the Medical Exemption Form or the Non-medical Exemption Form to the Fort Lewis College Health Center’s secure portal. Students who already have an exemption on file do not need to submit another exemption for the booster shot.
If granted an exemption, students will be required* to:
*These requirements are subject to change based upon available and emerging epidemiological evidence and the overall burden of disease related to COVID-19 transmission on our campus and in our region.
Where the exemption from vaccination necessitates an accommodation for a disability or medical condition, Fort Lewis College will engage in an interactive process with the student to determine which reasonable accommodations may be available for students to maintain participation in College programs. More information about Fort Lewis College accommodations process is available on the Accessibility Resource Center website.
Where the exemption from vaccination necessitates an accommodation based on a religious or personal belief or practice, Fort Lewis College will engage in an interactive process with the student to determine which reasonable accommodations may be available for students to maintain participation in College programs. More information about Fort Lewis College accommodations process is available in the Guidelines on Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Religion or by contacting the Equal Opportunity Coordinator, 192 Education/Business Hall (970) 247-7182.
Medical exemption details
Students shall complete and submit the Medical Exemption Form (signed by a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathic medicine, advanced practice nurse, or delegated physician's assistant) to the Fort Lewis College Health Center’s secure portal.
Non-medical (Religious or Personal Belief) exemption details
Students shall complete and submit the Non-medical Exemption Form to the Fort Lewis College Health Center’s secure portal.
Appeals will be considered on a case-by-case basis utilizing an interactive process with the student.
[1] If in its sole discretion, FLC determines that there is insufficient COVID-19 vaccine supply to meet the demand, the College may either delay implementation of this requirement or amend the same.