Vaccination Frequently Asked Questions

Students who have been admitted to Binghamton University and who will have an on-campus presence, including those residing in the residence halls or attending any class, must submit proof of a completed vaccine series and booster, unless they have been granted a medical or religious exemption. 

For the purposes of this guidance, individuals are considered:

  • Compliant with vaccination and booster requirements if they have completed all shots of a WHO-approved vaccination series AND have received:
    • J&J primary vaccine (any date) with a J&J/Pfizer/Moderna shot given more than two months later
    • Pfizer or Moderna primary series with J&J/Pfizer/Moderna shot given more than five months later
  • Not compliant if they have not completed any shots, have completed one of two shots in a primary vaccination series, have completed a primary vaccination series but not the 14-day waiting period, have been vaccinated with a vaccine that is not WHO-approved, or are eligible for a booster and have not received one.
  • Are students required to be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 to attend Binghamton University?

    Yes. According to SUNY policy, students who plan to attend in-person classes and/or utilize in-person services at a SUNY facility, whether they live on or off campus, must provide evidence of receiving a full vaccination series (i.e., both doses of a two-dose series) of any WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine and a vaccine booster or successfully apply for and receive a medical or religious exemption. Students must provide such evidence prior to coming to campus and show thStudents must provide such evidence prior to coming to campus and show that the vaccine was received at least two weeks prior to arriving on a SUNY campus for any reason.

    This requirement applies to you if you are enrolled in at least one in-person class or visit campus for any reason, including to conduct research, work on campus, participate in athletic practices, or visit the library, academic buildings or other campus facilities. Students will not be allowed to register for classes until the requirement has been met.

  • Am I eligible to receive a booster if I have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 90 days?

    The University is using current CDC guidelines to determine when an individual is eligible to be boosted following a COVID-19 infection. These guidelines state that individuals with known COVID-19 infection are eligible to get their booster after recovery from the acute illness, if symptoms were present, and when criteria to discontinue isolation has been met.

    The following reasons do not meet the CDC criteria to avoid receiving a COVID-19 vaccine:

    • having had COVID-19 within the past 90 days
    • having a blood test that is positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
    • "long-haul" COVID-19
    • persistent headache
    • persistent muscle/joint aches
    • persistent fatigue
    • inability to taste or smell
  • Where can I get vaccinated or receive a booster shot locally?

    To find a COVID-19 vaccination site near you, visit vaccines.gov where you can enter your zip code and you will be provided a list of all local vaccine sites.

    In New York state, you can get your booster at various state-run COVID-19 vaccine sites.

  • How can I request proof of my COVID-19 vaccine record from DSHSC?

    You can access this information by signing into the DSHSC patient portal. 

    To view the document you uploaded as proof of vaccination:

    1. Go to https://binghamton.medicatconnect.com/
    2. Indicate you are from Binghamton University.
    3. Sign in using your BU username and password.
    4. Go to the UPLOADS tab.  
    5. Scroll down to the "Documents already on file" section.
    6. Click "view file" of the appropriate document.
    7. Print.

    To view your immunization record, click on "Immunizations," then "View History."

  • What do I do if I've lost or don't have my vaccination record card?

    At your first vaccination appointment, you should get a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record card that tells you what COVID-19 vaccine you received, the date you received it and where you received it. If you did not receive a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record card at your first appointment, contact the vaccination provider site where you got your first shot or your state health department to find out how you can get a card.

    If you have lost your CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record card or don’t have a copy, contact your vaccination provider directly to access your vaccination record.

    • If you cannot contact your vaccination provider site directly, contact your state health department’s immunization information system (IIS). Many vaccination providers are required to report COVID-19 vaccinations to their IIS and related systems.
    • If you enrolled in v-safe or VaxText after your first vaccine dose, you can access your vaccination information using those tools.
    • If you have made every effort to locate your vaccination information, are unable to get a copy or replacement of your vaccination card, and need another COVID-19 vaccine dose, talk to a vaccination provider or your primary care provider for assistance.

    See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for more. 

  • Can a student receive an exemption from being vaccinated?

    Students may apply for a medical or religious exemption by following the instructions on the COVID-19 page of the Decker Student Health Services Center website.

  • What are my obligations if I am exempted from vaccination?

    Students who are granted an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement may be subject to special obligations.  It is the student's responsibility to understand and follow these obligations, which can be found on the COVID-19 page of the DSHSC website.

  • Can I live in on-campus housing if I am unvaccinated or have not had a booster, and am not exempted?

    No. Per SUNY policy, students must provide evidence of receiving a full primary series of COVID-19 vaccines (i.e. one Johnson and Johnson vaccine or both doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines) or successfully apply for and receive a medical or religious exemption, and provide evidence prior to coming to campus that such vaccine was received at least two weeks prior to arriving on a SUNY campus for any reason, including moving into a residence hall.

    Additionally, all students who are eligible to receive one are required to have a booster shot within 30 days of becoming eligible. Students with a University-approved medical or religious exemption will not need to get a booster.
    Residence hall occupancy may be rescinded for students who do not receive a booster shot within 30 days of becoming eligible for one.

  • What are the surveillance testing requirements for students who are exempted?

    During the spring 2022 semester, Binghamton University is requiring all individuals who are not fully vaccinated to undergo weekly COVID-19 surveillance testing at the University Surveillance Testing Center. Below is information specific to students subject to the surveillance testing requirement. Students should pay close attention to the consequences for missing a required test as explained below. COVID-19 testing requirements will be strictly enforced.

    1. Students who are not fully vaccinated and students who have or may obtain medical/religious exemptions from the vaccination requirement must be tested for COVID-19 weekly at the Surveillance Testing Center in the University Union. 
    2. Each week a message with a link to make an appointment will be sent to all those subject to such testing. Testing is by appointment only and walk-in testing is not available. It is your responsibility to make an appointment and to arrive for testing at the time of your appointment.
      • Students are expected to be tested on campus every week they have a physical presence on campus. In the event they are going to be off campus for the majority of any given week, they must notify the Surveillance Testing Center in advance and receive approval for not getting tested that week.
    3. Students who are not tested as required will face the following consequences:
      • First missed test: A warning message from the Surveillance Testing Center.
      • Second missed test: Students who miss a test after receiving a warning message will have a HOLD placed on their registration; however, the impact of the HOLD on the student’s registration will be held in abeyance unless the student misses another test in the same semester.
      • Third missed test: Students who miss a third required COVID-19 test in the same semester will have the registration HOLD activated and will be dropped from their courses. Students not enrolled are also not eligible to live in campus residence halls.
    4. Students who are dropped from their classes as a result of this policy will have one opportunity to appeal their removal from courses. The ONLY basis for such appeal will be that the University testing records are inaccurate and the student has not missed three tests. The University will not otherwise reconsider the imposition of this policy upon a student who has missed three tests in the same semester.
    5. Students who are under quarantine order are not required to break quarantine to be tested; however, it is any such student’s responsibility to request an exemption from weekly testing when they are under quarantine order by using this link: https://cglink.me/2eQ/s52397. Copies of quarantine orders will be required.
    6. Students may not use a home test to satisfy the requirement for weekly COVID-19 testing.
    7. Students who begin the semester unvaccinated but who become fully vaccinated during the semester are subject to the weekly testing requirement and associated penalties for non-compliance until the date upon which they are fully vaccinated (14 days after last shot).
  • How long does it take to be considered fully up-to-date on my vaccines and booster?

    It depends on the vaccine, but generally speaking:

    • Johnson & Johnson vaccine:
      • Day 0: Dose
      • Day 14: Fully vaccinated (14 days after the dose)
      • Day 74: Booster dose makes you up-to-date (fully vaccinated and boosted). You are considered up-to-fate on the day you receive your booster.
    • Pfizer-BioNTech — the minimal intervals are:
      • Day 0: First dose
      • Day 21: Second dose
      • Day 35: Fully vaccinated (14 days after second dose)
      • Day 185: Booster dose makes you up-to-date (fully vaccinated and boosted).  You are considered up-to-date on the day you receive your booster.
    • Moderna: — the minimal intervals are:
      • Day 0: First dose
      • Day 28: Second dose
      • Day 42: Fully vaccinated (14 days after the second dose)
      • Day 192: Booster dose makes you up-to-date (fully vaccinated and boosted). You are considered up-to-date on the day you receive your booster.

    Timing is critical. Residential students cannot move onto campus and no student, whether living on or off campus, can begin classes unless they are fully vaccinated and boosted.

  • What should I do if I received a COVID vaccine but the dosing intervals are outside of what is recommended (the second dose was given too early or too late)?
  • I received a “mixed series” of COVID-19 vaccines (the vaccine type for my first dose is different than the vaccine type I received for the second dose.) What should I do?

International students

On Oct. 25, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order limiting entry into the United States for non-U.S. citizens who are seeking to enter the United States by air travel and who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In order to be considered fully vaccinated, individuals must have received an accepted COVID-19 vaccine, with limited exceptions.

For the purposes of this guidance, individuals are considered:

  • fully vaccinated if they have completed all shots of a WHO-approved vaccination series AND the 14-day waiting period. 
  • not vaccinated if they have not completed any shots, have completed one of two shots in a vaccination series, have completed a vaccination series but not the 14-day waiting period, or have been vaccinated with a vaccine that is not WHO-approved. 
  • All students at Binghamton University, including international students, must also be boosted if they will have any on-campus presence during the semester.