One of Brigham Young University’s campuses will require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this fall.
That institution is BYU-Hawaii, where president John S.K. Kauwe III said the decision came after careful research and consideration of local health conditions, according to a news release.
“This action promotes the safety of our students and our community,” he said in the news release. “It also supports our efforts to provide students who choose to pursue their education at BYU–Hawaii with a quality on-campus experience and minimizes disruption from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
Students at BYU in Provo, BYU-Idaho and Ensign College are “encouraged” but not required to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
Church leaders allowed each school administration to make its own decision based on local circumstances and conditions.
President Russell M. Nelson and senior church leaders have called the COVID-19 vaccination a “literal godsend” and encouraged members to become vaccinated. A statement supporting vaccination was also added to the church’s General Handbook.
The church has also recommended that all Latter-day Saint missionaries “safeguard” themselves with the vaccination.