Vaccine requirement deadline, mask requirements, other steps for safe return to campus

To the members of the MIT community:

We write to share several important updates about MIT’s return to full operations.

Vaccine Requirement

MIT’s vaccine requirement has helped lift vaccination coverage in our on-campus community – among students, staff, faculty, and affiliates – to nearly 90%. This is excellent, but our goal remains full vaccination for all except those who are granted religious, medical, or fully remote work exemptions.

Two full days remain to satisfy the July 30 vaccine deadline. For those who have completed their vaccinations, we sincerely thank you for your contribution to keeping yourself and others safe.

If you have not yet uploaded proof of vaccination to covidvaccine.mit.edu, completed the student exemption form or the employee exemption form (Touchstone required), or contacted vaccine-requirement@mit.edu to indicate that you will not be able to meet the deadline, we urge you to act now.

All community members who have not responded by the end of the day on Friday, July 30, will lose access to campus buildings after Sunday, August 1.

Indoor Face Covering and Eating Restrictions Remain in Place

As a result of changing public health conditions and guidance, the Institute will not be lifting some of the restrictions that we announced would be lifted effective July 30.

MIT will continue to require face coverings to be worn inside campus buildings until further notice, and masks will remain mandated in specific spaces required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, such as MIT shuttle buses.

There are exceptions to this policy, including for faculty and instructional staff when they are teaching; residents when they are alone in residential common areas or alone (or with their roommates or suitemates) in their rooms; employees when they are alone in their workspaces; and when anyone is eating or drinking.

Additionally, the Institute’s June 7 indoor eating policy, which limits group size and time spent eating together, also remains in effect until further notice. Capacity in MIT’s dining halls will be reduced for the start of the semester, and students will be encouraged to get takeout and eat outdoors.

We will regularly assess the public health situation and adjust our policies as appropriate.

What’s Next: Moving Forward with Full Operations

The combination of our community’s high vaccination rate, our ongoing testing program, and continuation of our masking and dining policies gives us confidence in our plan to fully return to in-person learning, teaching, and working. By relying on these protections, our experience managing the campus during the past 16 months, and our community’s flexibility and good will, we believe we can safely live with the virus.

We encourage you to turn to the following resources to help guide you through specific questions you may have about the return to campus, and to watch for additional information in the coming weeks:

• Vaccination requirement FAQs for employees and students
• A quick guide and primer video with tips for coming to campus

We are grateful to our colleagues who have been keeping the Institute running while working directly on campus or from afar for all of these months. We look forward to everyone being together on campus again soon.

Sincerely,

Ramona Allen, Vice President for Human Resources

Cynthia Barnhart, Chancellor

Martin A. Schmidt, Provost

Glen Shor, Executive Vice President and Treasurer

Cecilia Stuopis, MD, Medical Director, MIT Medical

Maria T. Zuber, Vice President for Research