Massachusetts Community College Vaccine Requirement Student FAQ

What’s the deadline for providing proof of my vaccination status?

As of January 3, 2022, if you are coming on campus for any reason, you must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved accommodation.

If you registered for an on-campus class between November 1, 2021 – January 9, 2022, you must provide proof of your full vaccination status to avoid being dropped from your on-campus class on January 10, 2022.

As of January 10, 2022, you will not be able to register for an on-campus class without providing proof of your full vaccination status for COVID-19.

How do I provide my written proof of an official record of full vaccination?

You can upload your COVID-19 card or immunization certificate through MyNECC at COVID-19 Vaccination Reporting Form. The form will require you to submit vaccination type, date(s), and upload a photo of your COVID-19 card or immunization certificate. This process will be simple and take approximately five minutes.

Please note that the attestation of vaccination status will not be accepted as written proof of an official record of full vaccination status.

If I received an exemption and/or reasonable accommodation related to certain COVID-19 vaccination requirements in the Fall of 2021 do I now need to request a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Student Vaccination Policy?

Yes, any vaccine requirements and or exclusions for Fall 2021 were based on specific sub-groups of students in certain programs or activities.

Will my vaccination record be treated confidentially?

Vaccination records will be treated in the same confidential manner as other student records.

Can I still register for in-person classes if I have not yet been fully vaccinated?

As of January 10, 2022, you will not be able to register for an on-campus class without providing proof of your full vaccination status for COVID-19.

If I am a high school student who is taking a College course on the College’s Campus either face to face or hybrid, am I required to be fully vaccinated?

Yes, the Student Vaccination Policy applies to you.

If I am a high school student taking a College course taught to my class at my high school am I required to be fully vaccinated?

If you are a high school student taking college classes at your high school and do not come to campus for class, you must follow any vaccine policies set by your school and are not subject to the college’s vaccination policy. If however you are accessing the college campus for any reason, including meeting with college staff or accessing the college’s library, you must show proof of full vaccination status.

What alternatives are available to me if I am unvaccinated?

Students who are unvaccinated may take courses with no on-campus component and access services remotely. Students may also request a reasonable accommodation where the College will engage in an interactive process to determine if the student is eligible for a reasonable accommodation, and if so, whether the requested accommodation is reasonable and does not create an undue hardship to the College or direct threat to the health or safety of others in the learning and working environment, if applicable.

In the event a reasonable accommodation is approved, students may be subject to additional health and safety protocols and/or be excluded from campus and/or college activities including but not limited to travel for the protection of health or safety, as determined by the College in consideration of local, state, and/or or federal laws and public health guidance and/or mandates.

If I am unable to be fully vaccinated, how do I apply for a reasonable accommodation?

Requests for reasonable accommodation, including requests for a medical or religious exemption, will be considered consistent with applicable laws, legal guidance, and College policy. To apply for a reasonable accommodation, complete and submit the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form and email it along with supporting documentation to studentvax@necc.mass.edu.

If I register for in-person classes and do not submit proof of vaccination by January 2022 what will happen?

You will not be allowed to attend class or access campus without submitting written proof of an official record of full vaccination and unless you have an approved reasonable accommodation you may be administratively withdrawn or, if possible, transferred into a class with no in-person component.

What is the definition of fully vaccinated?

The community colleges are following the CDC’s definition of full vaccination status, which currently provides that “[i]n general, people are considered fully vaccinated:

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.”

If the CDC changes their definition at any time, the revised definition will be applicable.

Please pay close attention to the type of vaccine that you receive and its timing schedule to ensure you are fully vaccinated in time to register for, and attend classes, if you seek to enroll in face-to-face and/or hybrid courses or to access campus for any reason.

If I already had COVID, do I need to be vaccinated?

Yes. According to the CDC, you are not considered fully vaccinated if you have had COVID but have not been vaccinated.

How do I get vaccinated?

Additional resources for accessing a COVID-19 vaccine include:

• Vaxfinder
• COVID-19 Mobile Vaccine Program
• Additional Vaccine Resources
• NH Vaccine Information.