UNH Will Test Students Who Are Fully Vaccinated at the Start of This Academic Year

Officials at the University of New Hampshire in Durham will require arrival testing as well as regular testing in September for every member of their community, vaccinated or unvaccinated.

President James Dean said in his July update that while state law prohibits the college from requiring vaccination, he cannot stress enough the importance of people getting their shots.

Dean told the campus community that being fully vaccinated decreases a person's chance of becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus or transmitting it to their family, friends or others with whom they have close contact.

In addition, fully vaccinated people who become infected with COVID-19 are less likely to experience severe symptoms, hospitalization or death, Dean wrote.

"The more members of our community who are vaccinated, the more safe and open our campuses will be, especially for those who are unable to or choose not to be vaccinated," Dean wrote.

Campus-specific arrival testing information will follow in the second week of August, but regular testing for the month of September will be as follows:

• Unvaccinated individuals: Same frequency as last year, two times a week for students, once a week for employees
• Fully vaccinated individuals: Once every other week or more frequently on a voluntary basis

Dean wrote that current CDC guidance is evolving and they are monitoring the campuses' and regional data daily but as of Thursday, they plan to have no mask mandate on campus, no physical distance requirements and no limits on gathering sizes.

"However, we are prepared to adjust our protocols as needed for the safety of our community as we did last year," Dean wrote.

Contact Managing News Editor Kimberley Haas at Kimberley.Haas@townsquaremedia.com.