CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte will require the COVID-19 booster shot for all students and staff, the school announced Tuesday.
The deadline to receive the shot will be March 1 or within 30 days of becoming eligible to receive the booster, according to the school. Except for those with exceptions, the requirement will be for all students, staff, and faculty.
On Monday, Queens University announced the same requirement for their school.
Everyone 16 years of age or older, who has not had a COVID-19 vaccine in the past six months, is eligible for a third shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. For Moderna, you must be 18 years of age and also six months since your last vaccine in order to receive a third shot. For the Johnson & Johnson Jansseen booster, you must be 18 years of age and at least two months since your last vaccine to be eligible.
The new school requirements come as concerns rise about the omicron variant of COVID-19.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper held a COVID-19 news briefing Monday, urging people to get vaccinated and to get tested.
"Despite these serious concerns, we are in a much stronger position this holiday season compared to last year for one main reason: the remarkable COVID-19 vaccines that are saving lives every day," Cooper said.
In a speech Tuesday, Biden announced major changes to his COVID-19 winter plan, his hand forced by the arrival and rapid spread of the omicron variant, whose properties are yet not fully understood by scientists.
A cornerstone of the plan is Biden's decision for the government to purchase 500 million coronavirus rapid tests and ship them free to Americans starting in January. People will use a new website to order their tests, which will then be sent to them by U.S. mail.
The federal government will also establish new testing sites and use the Defense Production Act to help manufacture more tests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report