ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the spring semester safety guidance for all SUNY and CUNY campuses for reopening. Officials say this will include the continuation of the student vaccine mandate as well as requiring all students regularly accessing campus to receive the COVID-19 booster for the spring semester.

According to officials additional requirements for students also include mandatory pre-testing ahead of their semester return, which will apply to all students who regularly plan to attend campuses as well. Each campus will develop and communicate an ongoing testing plan to monitor for positive cases throughout the semester. 

Students are advised that all campuses will continue to enforce universal indoor masking regardless of vaccination status and social distancing for anyone who is unvaccinated on campus. All faculty will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Eligible Students who can receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster are now required to receive one for the return of the 2022 spring semester. Campuses are instructed to develop a plan and timeframe requirement for students to provide proof of booster vaccination.

In addition, SUNY and CUNY campuses must also implement, or continue if they had previously implemented, an ongoing testing program throughout the semester. Campuses are allowed to develop a random sampling methodology, which will be communicated to students. Further exceptions officials say can be implemented for those students who have received a booster.

SUNY will continue to report real-time results at the COVID-19 Case Tracker. CUNY will also continue to report weekly results on its COVID-19 Safety Tracker available as well.