The following message was sent from Dean Mary E. Klotman, MD to all School of Medicine faculty and staff on August 9, 2021:
The School of Medicine announced on July 22, 2021, that COVID-19 vaccinations are mandated for all faculty and staff, regardless of work location, and for non-Duke vendors, contract and temporary workers. For additional details about individuals who must be vaccinated or receive a medical or religious exemption, visit: https://medschool.duke.edu/covidvaccinepolicy
Compliance with the COVID-19 Vaccination Policy
To achieve compliance, you must complete and submit documentation of the two-dose series of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or receive an approved exemption by Tuesday, September 21 at 10 a.m.
In order to allow sufficient time to receive both doses of the vaccine by September 21:
- For those individuals receiving a two-dose series of the Moderna vaccine, you must receive your first dose no later than August 27.
- With the Moderna vaccine, you should get your second shot 4 weeks (or 28 days) after your first. There is a +/- 4 day window.
- For those individuals receiving a two-dose series of the Pfizer vaccine, you must receive your first dose no later than September 3.
- With the Pfizer vaccine, you should get your second shot 3 weeks (or 21 days) after your first. There is a +/- 4 day window.
Duke provides the Pfizer vaccine. Those seeking the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines must obtain their vaccination at a non-Duke location.
Faculty and staff seeking approved medical or religious exemptions should submit their application by Tuesday, September 7, 2021. Application forms are available at https://covid-19.dukehealth.org/vaccine-information
For employees, vaccination against COVID-19 or policy compliance through a granted medical or religious exemption is a condition of employment. For faculty, non-compliance with the policy could result in denied access to Duke Health EMR and clinical facilities, Duke email and internet (dhe).
Duke University has mandated that all students, including students in the School of Medicine, must be vaccinated.
Proof of Vaccination and Checking Vaccination Status
If you received your complete vaccination series through Employee Occupational Health & Wellness (EOHW), you do not need to submit documentation. If you received your vaccination(s) in the community (such as a retail pharmacy or a Duke patient clinic), you will need to submit your vaccination documentation using the link provided at https://covid-19.dukehealth.org/vaccine-information.
Students, faculty and staff can now check to ensure their vaccination status has been recorded by Student Health or Employee Health by logging in to the secured Status Check website at https://covidvaccine.duke.edu/. If your documentation has not been recorded, you can upload an image of your completed vaccination card at https://covid-19.dukehealth.org/vaccine-information.
COVID-19 Vaccination Resources
We recognize that members of our School of Medicine community may have questions. Please see a list of resources below where many frequently asked questions are addressed by scientific and medical experts:
- Recording of August 2 Duke Health Town Hall: COVID-19 Vaccines
- School of Medicine COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
- CDC: Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
- CDC: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccines
Thank you for taking this important step to keep yourself, your families, our patients and communities safe.