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COVID-19 Vaccine

Pratt Institute requires all students, faculty, and staff who will be on our campuses to be fully vaccinated. Pratt community members are required to submit a copy of their vaccination or exemption documentation online before arriving on campus.

Visit NYC Health and Hospitals for vaccines and booster appointments in New York City or Vaccines.gov for national locations. Some students may experience difficulty accessing a vaccine before arriving on campus, and Pratt will work to assist them. 

COVID-19 Booster Required

Pratt requires all eligible members of the Pratt community (excluding those with approved exemptions) to receive and upload proof of a COVID-19 booster vaccination for campus access during the spring 2022 semester.

Deadline and eligibility: Pratt community members must have received a booster vaccination and uploaded proof by January 18, or within fourteen (14) days of becoming eligible thereafter. Eligibility for the booster depends upon when each person received the final dose of the initial vaccine:

  • five months after the Pfizer or Moderna final dose
  • five months after the final dose of any WHO-listed vaccine
  • two months after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

Anyone who has already tested positive for COVID-19 will need to follow the direction of their doctor regarding the booster. Students should contact Health Services and faculty and staff should contact Human Resources with any other questions.

Exemptions: Community members who previously received an approved exemption from the primary vaccination series will continue to be exempt from the COVID-19 booster requirement. 

Get and submit the booster: Find a booster location near you at nychealthandhospitals.org or vaccines.gov. Then, remember to submit proof of the COVID-19 booster within fourteen days of becoming eligible. 

COVID-19 Vaccination and Booster Upload

Follow the steps below to upload your vaccination proof into our secure database.

These are the steps:

  1. Login to the vaccine form using your OneKey ID.
  2. Upload a clear image of your vaccination proof that shows your name, vaccine information and vaccination date. All documents must be in English.
  3. Select the vaccination brand you received and indicate the date(s) that you received the vaccination. If this is the first dose, you will also have to submit the second dose with the proof of the second dose.
  4. Click the submit button. You will receive a confirmation email of your submission.  Once your submission is reviewed, you will receive a subsequent email about your submission status (approved or rejected).

COVID-19 Vaccination Time-Off Policy

New York State legislation enables faculty and staff to use paid time off to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Faculty and staff are allowed up to four hours of excused leave per injection that will not be charged against any other leave. Policy details can be found here. Pratt has expanded this offering to include time off to receive a booster. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Exemption Requests 

Pratt Institute will consider exemptions from the vaccination requirement as a reasonable accommodation because of a disability or a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance. Please plan accordingly and allow sufficient time for the review process.  

Medical and disability-related exemptions:

  • May be granted if a licensed physician, licensed nurse practitioner, or licensed midwife (caring for a pregnant student, faculty, or staff member) certifies in writing that such vaccination may be detrimental to your health or is otherwise medically contraindicated.
  • Must include a statement indicating which vaccine(s) may be detrimental, including a detailed explanation of the medical basis for such determination, and the length of time for which it may be detrimental.
  • Should be based on the most recent guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
  • May be granted on a temporary basis depending on the nature of the medical condition.

Religious exemptions:

  • May be granted if a faculty, staff, or student sincerely holds a religious belief, practice, or observance that prevents them from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Requests for an exemption should be in writing and explain the religious principles that prevent vaccination.
  • May require additional supporting information, if necessary.

Exemption requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis by Pratt’s legal department. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.

To submit a request, complete the exemption form and then submit it online.

You will be notified by Pratt email whether or not your exemption request is approved, or if additional information is necessary. If an exemption is granted, you will be required to comply with additional safety protocols while on campus, as determined by the Institute, including masking and maintaining appropriate physical distance. The Institute may modify these protocols as necessary and appropriate.   

COVID-19 Vaccine for International Students

International students should review and follow all guidance from the CDC for people vaccinated outside of the United States.

Pratt accepts the following vaccine and boosters to meet the vaccine requirements: 

Primary Series (first 2 doses or 1 dose if single dose vaccine)

  • All FDA approved vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, & Johnson & Johnson*)
  • All WHO approved vaccines (Sinopharm, Sinovac, CanSinBio, Covishield, Covaxin, Novovax and more).  See link for all WHO approved vaccines.

Booster Dose

  • All FDA approved vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson*)
  • All WHO approved booster vaccines. See link for all WHO approved vaccines.

*Please note: Johnson & Johnson is less preferred due to risk of adverse effects and is therefore not widely available at vaccine centers for booster doses. 

Review the international FAQs for more information on international vaccines and getting vaccinated in the United States. 

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs