JHU extends flu vaccine mandate for 2022-23

Since 2020, Johns Hopkins University has required all JHU students, trainees, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff who are on its campuses to receive an annual influenza vaccine. It has now announced it is continuing that mandate through the 2022–23 academic year.

This year's deadline to upload proof of receiving the flu vaccine to the Vaccine Management System (VMS) is Friday, Nov. 18.

The inactivated flu vaccine (injectable) will be available to students and employees at a series of on-site JHU clinics. A list of all Homewood and East Baltimore clinics is online on the mandatory flu vaccine policy webpage. Information on additional clinics will be shared as it becomes available.

For on-site flu clinics, affiliates are asked to complete an informed consent form and bring their JHU identification with them. Alternatively, affiliates can get vaccinated at their local pharmacy or by their primary care physician through insurance at no cost.

Individuals who attend a JHU on-site flu clinic will get their J-Card/ID badge swiped and the vaccination documentation will be automatically uploaded into the VMS. Those who receive a flu vaccine elsewhere (e.g., at a JHM-sponsored clinic, at a local pharmacy, through your primary care provider) will need to upload proof of vaccination to VMS.

Johns Hopkins Medicine and Applied Physics Laboratory employees are subject to their respective policies and procedures. School of Medicine affiliates follow JHM policies and procedures. The mandate does not apply to JHU affiliates who are 100% remote—that is, those who never visit any Johns Hopkins facility or conduct business in any public setting on Johns Hopkins' behalf.

Johns Hopkins Occupational Health Services will not be offering flu vaccines to spouses or domestic partners for the 2022–23 flu season. Family members are encouraged to get the vaccine from outpatient pharmacies or their health care provider. The flu vaccine is free with most health insurance.

Vaccinations at Walgreens

All JHU faculty, staff, and students can get the flu vaccination for free at any Walgreens location using the JHU flu vaccine voucher. Individuals must either print the voucher using the VMS website or display it on their phone at the time of service. No appointment is necessary, but affiliates are asked to complete the consent form prior to their appointment.

Proof of Vaccination

If you receive the flu vaccine at Walgreens or anywhere other than at a JHU-sponsored vaccine clinic—even if you use the JHU voucher—proof of immunization must be uploaded to the VMS. This applies even if the doctor/doctor's office that gave you the vaccine is within the Johns Hopkins network. At a minimum, affiliates should be sure to get a form that includes their name, the date of vaccination and the vaccination location (e.g., Walgreens, CVS, or the name of the physician's office). That form can be uploaded as a scan or photo to the VMS. If you don't get a receipt and you got your vaccine in Maryland, you can download proof of your flu shot from the Maryland myIR website.

It may take up to two weeks for an outside flu vaccination to be processed and for individuals to receive a confirmation email. You can check your status in the VMS at any time.

Exceptions

Anyone requesting a religious or medical exception to the flu vaccine must submit their request to the VMS by Oct. 31, 2022. It may take up to two weeks for an exception request to be reviewed. More information on policies and exceptions can be found on the Johns Hopkins Medicine website. Affiliates must obtain an approved medical or religious exception by Nov. 18, 2022.

Kevin Shollenberger, vice provost for student health and well-being, and Pierre Joanis, vice president for human resources, told the JHU community in an email that "having as many students, faculty, and staff as possible vaccinated for the flu, in conjunction with other health and infection prevention policies, is vital to the safety of our community. We appreciate your support."

Questions that are not answered by the flu vaccine policy website can be emailed to vms@jhu.edu.