Strongly Recommending COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters
December 6, 2021 11:25 AM

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strengthened their recommendation that all adults over the age of 18 should have a COVID-19 vaccine booster. The university is strongly recommending that everyone in our university community receives a booster when they are able to do so to provide an extended level of protection.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

• If you have not already received a COVID-19 vaccine booster, you can find appointments in the area on the CUPHD website.
• If you are a student who has not received the booster because you worry reactions or side effects may impact your Finals Week, please receive a booster as soon as your exams are finished. If you are traveling home for Winter Break, you can find appointments at pharmacies in your home community on this website.
• If you have already received a COVID-19 booster, thank you for doing your part to protect yourself and those around you.
• If you received any of your COVID-19 vaccine shots (first dose, second dose or booster) outside the state of Illinois, you should upload your record to the MyMcKinley Portal.
• If you received all your doses in the state of Illinois and you already have a verified vaccine record on file, you do not need to upload your booster record to the MyMcKinley Portal. All Illinois-based vaccines should be captured in the McKinley Medicat system within 30 days of receiving your vaccination.

In order to protect the health and well-being of our entire community, we expect everyone who is able to do so will receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster before the Spring 2022 semester.

I am proud that 94 percent of our university community is already fully vaccinated—a number far higher than our community, our state or our country. It is also higher than many other universities. Please receive a booster, so we can extend that protection.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made me so incredibly grateful to serve as your chancellor. Thank you for continuing to show patience, compassion and care for one another.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones
Chancellor