Rutgers will not require fully vaccinated individuals to undergo weekly coronavirus testing

The Guide to Returning to Rutgers was recently updated with changes pertaining to certain areas including coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination and testing as well as parking and facilities, said Antonio M. Calcado, executive vice president for strategic planning and operations, in a University-wide email sent on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 testing section of the guide now states that fully vaccinated individuals who have uploaded their vaccination card to the portal will no longer be eligible to participate in the University’s COVID-19 Testing Program. Non-vaccinated individuals or those who have not uploaded proof of vaccination will be required to get tested weekly.

This update comes after the University previously stated in March that it would require all students, faculty and staff to participate in the testing program in the fall regardless of vaccination status, The Daily Targum reported.

Additionally, Calcado clarified that the recent ending of the public health emergency in New Jersey, as well as the upcoming ending of many COVID-19-related executive orders in July, do not have an impact on the University’s requirement for students to be fully vaccinated in order to return to campus in the fall. 

Rutgers will continue to uphold this requirement as well as urge all employees to get vaccinated, he said.

A section regarding heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) was also added to the guide as part of this update in order to explain the recommendations for the operation of these systems and the work that has been put in to improve them during the pandemic, Calcado said.

“Our maintenance mechanics, HVAC technicians, supervisors and engineering staff have worked throughout the pandemic to prepare our buildings for their safe repopulation,” he said. “The facilities staff have performed over 28,000 HVAC work orders to assure that our systems are working properly.”

In addition, Calcado said that the University’s parking registration system will reopen on July 1 and all returning employees are required to reregister their vehicles. No changes to parking regulations and enforcement rules have been made.

“The guide is an evolving document, and I encourage you to regularly familiarize yourself with it so that you and your coworkers can be assured of a safe return to our campuses that is in accordance with appropriate public health guidelines,” he said.