Vaccination Policies

Required: All patient-facing community members must provide documentation of a COVID-19 primary series and a booster (or if previously unvaccinated, one dose of the available vaccine) or obtain a religious or medical accommodation. The patient-facing community at Tufts includes:

• All Dental, Medical, PA, DPT, and OTD students, faculty, staff, and volunteers as defined by each school as having a role in which the individual provides or is expected to provide patient care.
• All Occupational Health Services and Student Health Service staff, including Tufts Counseling and Mental Health Service staff.
• University-employed faculty at TUSM and TUSDM.

Strongly Recommended: Tufts encourages all faculty, staff, students, vendors, affiliates, and visitors to remain up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters. Following CDC vaccination guidance is the best defense against illness and will help keep everyone on our campuses healthy.

Complete Policies: These policies are for Tufts University faculty, staff, and students who provide patient-facing healthcare.

• Faculty and Staff COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
• Student COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

FAQs and Additional Resources: Explore all of the university's COVID-19 guidance, additional resources, and answers to frequently asked questions about the vaccination here: Public Health/COVID-19.

The university reserves the right to amend these policies, including as needed based on data, public health guidance, and in compliance with applicable law. 

Required: All Tufts Health Sciences students on the Boston Health Sciences and Grafton campuses are required to receive an annual flu vaccine. See more information on Health Sciences immunizations.

Influenza vaccination is also required for all faculty, staff, residents, fellows, volunteers, and contracted employees working at the School of Dental Medicine's main campus in Boston or at any one of its special needs satellite clinics for at least one day during the period October 1st of a given year through March 31st of the following year.

Strongly Encouraged: Tufts strongly encourages all students, faculty, and staff to be vaccinated against influenza during the 2022–2023 flu season, following CDC guidance.

Medford/Somerville and SMFA Campuses: Incoming students on these campuses will find information about immunization and other health requirements, health insurance, other health-related concerns here: Health and Wellness Requirements for New Students.

Boston Health Sciences and Grafton Campuses: The Student Advisory Health Administration (SAHA) collects and screens immunization documentation for vaccinations required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Tufts University as well as those recommended for health care workers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Explore the requirements for your school via the SAHA website.

Get more information about how to find your immunization records, along with guidance about where to submit your Tufts-required vaccine documentation here: Vaccination Documentation.

If you get a flu vaccination in the Southern Hemisphere between March and June, you will need to get another flu shot when you come to Tufts in September, since it will be the beginning of a new flu season in the Northern Hemisphere.

Tufts periodically offers flu shot and COVID-19 booster shot clinics. Details can be found here when available: Vaccine Clinics.

Medical and religious accommodations will be granted under the law. Individuals who have already received an accommodation for their primary vaccination series are considered accommodated for the booster requirement but are obliged to inform the Office of Equal Opportunity or Tufts Occupational Health Services if their beliefs or medical conditions have changed. Medical accommodations are granted for contraindications as defined by the CDC.

How to Request Medical Accommodations

• Students (Boston Health Sciences and Grafton campuses): Contact Occupational Health Services
• Students (Medford/Somerville and SMFA campuses): Follow Student Health Services Immunization Accommodations and Waivers instructions 
• Faculty and Staff: Contact Occupational Health Services

How to Request Religious Accommodations

Contact the Office of Equal Opportunity at oeo@tufts.edu.