Will they continue the forced-isolation-if-your-roommate-has-COVID-19 policy for all students, or only for unvaccinated students?
If not, then remember that the point of getting vaccinated is that if you encounter someone (like a roommate) who plays COVID-19 lottery and “wins” a “prize”, you are much more likely to avoid sharing the unwanted “prize”.
At both of my kids schools, vaccinated kids are no longer required to quarantine if they are a close contact, so I don’t see a huge problem with them living with an unvaccinated student. Yes, there is a chance they could get Covid from their roommate, but it’s pretty small.
The school that s17 will be attending in the fall has limited student housing available and they prioritize international and out of province students. While I’m not wishing any harm on international students, I am hoping that the border situation might workout in s17’s favour in that he’ll have a better chance of getting a spot in residence.
They haven’t said what they will do yet. I’m not worried about Covid- it’s the missing class. OOS and on a scholarship- don’t want her to fall behind. If they don’t make them isolate then it is not as big a deal.
If the college is Northeastern, as suggested by your avatar, then it will require students to have COVID-19 vaccination, with religious or medical exemptions: Student Vaccination Requirements for Fall 2021 - Northeastern Global News
Nevermind…
Might be time for a new thread for school year 2021-22 
Will your S be attending a Canadian or US school? If it’s Canadian, there’s another barrier for international students to attend in person: the long and expensive mandatory quarantine.
It’s not Northeastern. I don’t pick favorites between my kids and I am not talented enough to design a dual avatar. 
It’s UNH.
CDC still requires cruise lines operating in US waters to operate with a mask mandate, and many of those same cruise lines are requiring vaccination. What does Amherst know that they all don’t? Cruise lines are floating hotels, and dorms are more crowded than hotels at normal capacity . . . Now, I’m presuming that Amherst wants to drop mask wearing and so forth. I’m wondering whether re-densification over the capacity count would actually help or hinder that goal.
Bowdoin is also saying no masks in dorms. I don’t know if they’ve said that super specifically but, when I asked, they said they see masks maybe in certain situations like the chapel being packed for an all-school sort of thing.
Having everyone vaccinated and masked right now (in early May) is one thing. I think a lot of schools are assuming that doesn’t last for months on end.
Schools have been burned by jumping in with announcements too soon. We are still in a pandemic, although hopefully on the correct side of it.
I agree but Bowdoin was SO conservative in its plan this year and I really doubt that angle is different for next year. They don’t just go from only having some kids on campus and almost all remote class and testing two to three times a week to full dorms without masks and all classes and activities a full go unless they are pretty sure. Bowdoin does not make rash decisions and have been very deliberate with their decisions along the way.
UChicago is planning for a resumption of in-person classes, regular numbers for res life and a resumption of study abroad, but they’ve made no announcements beyond that. We don’t know what non-academic activities (EC’s etc) will look like, perhaps because they city still has restrictions on in-person gatherings. No announcements concerning vaccine mandate, testing or masks. Of course, UChicago starts the academic year a full month after many other schools so there is still time. They can delay until late June if they need to.
That makes sense. I am sure in that regard I misunderstood the comments were only in reference to those schools and not most schools.
The vaccine will be fully approved most likely by the time schools start in the fall, so is this school going to then re-assign roommates? It’s crazy that they are not asking those questions now, although maybe they will when you need to upload your health information and general immunization information.
@mamom2018 I understand your point, but some schools are not following that guidance about no quarantine required but also, sometimes someone who is not vaccinated when a school isn’t mandating it, is not vaccinated because they’re an anti-masker and anti-vaxer not because of medical or religious exemptions and may not have the same views regarding the virus as the vaccinated roommate and engage in risky behavior. If someone is living with someone who is so much the opposite of what their beliefs are and it turns out that a booster is required then that person is continuously putting their roommate at constant risk especially inside, not to mention whoever the decide to let in their room that most likely shares the same views as them. Not saying that is what would happen but it is always a possibility. I know people who would only want to live with an unvaccinated student and I know plenty who only want to live with a vaccinated student.
100% and as we know anything can happen.
Case in point. One of my daughters is supposed to go to Israel for a summer internship on June 1. A month ago the only concern was if they would let them come due to covid. That barrier became a non-issue. Less than 2 weeks ago everything was a go. Now look. Today all US airlines have stopped flights to Israel so no clue if her internship is happening. Who knew this would happen and this fast! In a blink of an eye everything can change.
Hopefully, we can have a decent summer and get past covid and not have another surge later in the fall or winter as some experts predict if we don’t reach herd immunity and beat the variants.
Do you have a source for this statement wrt timing?
It typically takes longer than 3 or 4 months for full FDA approval (although this case may be different because the FDA has already seen quite a bit of the pertinent data when reviewing for EUA).
Note that the full approval will only be for 16+, because that is what Pfizer asked for (need longer term data in the 12-15 years olds who are enrolled in the Phase III trial).
According to this article it sounds like it could be fairly quick. I’m actually surprised with how quick they’re saying. Looks like 1-2 months.
Here’s one that says “several” months but that would still probably be in time before school starts as there is well more than 2 months of data and a lot of data than the required amount to approve it. It may just need to be read and deciphered to be voted on. Pfizer seeks full FDA approval for COVID-19 vaccine beyond current emergency use - ABC News
Northwestern just today announced they are mandating the vaccine for returning students this fall!!