Vermont colleges continue to deal with COVID-19 as students return to class
Many colleges are dropping mandatory masking and testing, opting to only require vaccinations against COVID-19.
Many colleges are dropping mandatory masking and testing, opting to only require vaccinations against COVID-19.
Many colleges are dropping mandatory masking and testing, opting to only require vaccinations against COVID-19.
Despite COVID's continued presence, the coming school year is looking a lot more like life before the pandemic.
Many area schools, including the University of Vermont, are dropping mask and testing requirements.
Instead, they're continuing to require vaccinations against COVID-19, with some schools going so far as to require booster shots as well.
At the University of Vermont, some students said they are not too worried about COVID anymore.
"I think it's really good that all the vaccines are being required and the booster. It makes me feel a lot safer," said Anais, a first year student at UVM.
First year students at UVM began their move in on Thursday.
"I feel like this is a good place to be, I feel like everyone here is really responsible with it," said Sophie Egan, another first year UVM student.
UVM has dropped masking and social distancing requirements in classes and student centers.
"We've seen that fully half, possibly more, of people across the country who have been infected and have been infected with the omicron variants have been asymptomatic," said Erica Calorieo, Vice Provost Student Affairs at UVM. "We know that our campus population has been fully vaccinated."
But the University of Vermont is not the only school in our region opting for looser restrictions.
St. Michael's College will be taking a similar approach as UVM.
The college will require all students and employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
"Honestly, I'm so excited because I feel like the past two years have been kind of taken away from me," said Willow Schaefer, a junior at St. Michael's College.
Schaefer transferred to St. Michael's during the pandemic, and is immunocompromised.
She is excited to finally experience everything that would make a typical college experience at St. Michael's.
"Even being able to go to classes without a mask on, being able to see my professors and talk to them, and even just being able to see the people who live in my building," said Schaefer. "I remember my first year at St. Mike's, we could barely even see the people in our building because COVID was so bad."
While St. Michael's College does not require booster shots for COVID-19 at this time, Schaefer said she will get one before the semester starts.
Students will begin moving into their dorms at St. Michael's this weekend.
Meanwhile, the remainder of University of Vermont undergrads will move back to campus this weekend as well.
St. Michael's College students will return to campus on Friday.