No College Mandates co-founder calls policy change ‘another positive step towards health freedom.’
Johns Hopkins University has ended its COVID-19 shot mandate for the majority of its students as an increasing number of schools across the country continue to drop the requirement that students be forced to take the controversial shot before enrolling.
The school updated its medical requirements for new non-health care students this morning: “In consultation with the Johns Hopkins University Health Advisory Group and other public health experts across our campuses, Johns Hopkins University will strongly encourage, but no longer require, at least one dose the COVID-19 vaccine series.”
However, the school noted that “School of Medicine students, trainees, and employees continue to follow Johns Hopkins Medicine policies and are still required to submit COVID-19 vaccination documents.”
The new policy will take effect April 1.
The policy change is only the latest sign that the COVID-19 shot mandates are coming to an end. Last week, three more universities—Depauw University, Bates College, and Ohio Wesleyan University—dropped their COVID-19 shot requirements, according to advocacy group No College Mandates, bringing the total number of schools still requiring the shot to its lowest number since spring 2021.
No College Mandates co-founder Lucia Sinatra, which describes itself as a “group of concerned parents, doctors, nurses, professors, students, and other college stakeholders working towards the common goal of ending COVID-19 vaccine mandates,” told The Epoch Times the change is another indication that the country is moving in the right direction.
“This is definitely another positive step towards health freedom,” Mrs. Sinatra said.“These schools are facing a lot of public pressure as it becomes increasingly difficult for them to continue to justify these mandates without looking like complete clowns.”
However, Mrs. Sinatra called the policy change “bittersweet,” and was hopeful that all students at Johns Hopkins would be allowed to make the medical decisions they felt to be in their own personal best interest.
“I can’t see it as a complete win,” said Mrs. Sinatra, who had hoped that after Harvard ended its mandate for all students earlier this month, other schools would quickly follow.
