May 10, 2021 By Allie Griffin
Students who plan to attend SUNY and CUNY colleges for in-person classes this fall will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
The public state and city universities of New York are the latest in a growing list of universities that will require students to get the shot in order to attend.
“No excuses,” Cuomo said during a press briefing. “SUNY and CUNY boards will require vaccinations for all in-person students coming back to school in the fall.”
There are several public colleges in Queens, including CUNY Law School, Queens College, York College, La Guardia Community College and Queensborough Community College.
St. John’s University, a private college also in Queens, previously announced it will require in-person students to get a COVID-19 vaccine before heading to campus for fall semester.
Cuomo didn’t say if SUNY and CUNY students would be exempt for medical or religious reasons as many colleges have committed to.
The governor also announced Monday that the MTA would bring a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site at the 179th Street station in Jamaica. The site — one of eight along the MTA system — will offer commuters the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May 12 through May 16.
The MTA will also give out a free seven-day MetroCard to those who get the shot at one of the stations.