Queens University to require all students, staff to get COVID booster

CHARLOTTE — Queens University in Charlotte announced it’s requiring all students and staff members to get the COVID-19 booster shot, officials confirmed on Monday.

A letter was sent out to the university last Thursday that said the booster shots would have to be received by Feb. 15 or as soon as people are eligible for theirs.

“I think it’s good, helps everybody on campus stay healthy,” student Try Hubbard said.

People are eligible for boosters six months after their second dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“I’m probably gonna end up getting the booster just because I want to keep everyone else safe,” student Michael Fowler told Channel 9.

The announcement came as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across North Carolina and the country. The omicron variant of the virus is also rapidly spreading and has been detected in at least 45 states, including North Carolina and South Carolina.

Maria del Carmen-Flores is the dean of students and she said omicron has gotten everyone’s attention.

“Well, we’ve been watching the news like everyone else,” she said.

Omicron is now the dominant variant in the U.S.

“Thinking carefully about what we can do to preserve this congregant living and learning community, and keep one another healthy and safe,” Carmen-Flores said. “It really fell in line with the way we’ve been approaching things from the very beginning of the pandemic.”

Gov. Roy Cooper and health officials held a news conference Monday also urging people to get vaccinated and the booster shots ahead of the holidays.

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(WATCH BELOW: FAQ: What to know about booster shots and the omicron variant for the holiday season)

FAQ: What to know about booster shots and the omicron variant for the holiday season

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