COVID Booster Guidance

December 9, 2021

Dear Rutgers Community Member,

The virus that causes COVID-19 continues to change and pose a threat to the health of our communities. Vaccination is the best protection against serious illness from the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants. Rutgers University campuses boast some of the highest vaccination rates in the country and we encourage all of our community members to continue to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their friends and colleagues by getting a COVID-19 booster shot.

As we have for the duration of this pandemic, Rutgers continues to monitor the health landscape and work with public health agencies and our health system partners to prepare and take appropriate action to keep our community safe. The rising Delta variant infections in New Jersey and the emergence of the Omicron variant emphasize the importance of vaccination and boosters as we look to continue to shield ourselves against COVID-19. Recent reports from the vaccine manufacturer Pfizer indicate that their vaccine offers protection against the Omicron variant, but mainly when boosted. We are hopeful that the same will be found of the other FDA-approved vaccines as well. As such, COVID-19 vaccination boosters are now recommended by the CDC for everyone 18 years and older.

If you have already received your COVID-19 immunization booster, and haven’t uploaded it to the Rutgers Vaccination Portal, we encourage you to do so in order to help keep campus leadership informed of our communities’ levels of protection. The records for those vaccinated at Rutgers are automatically saved in our system.

If you would like to get a booster, or need to complete your initial vaccination, please remember that Rutgers is a vaccine administration site and offers COVID-19 boosters at no cost at all three of our campuses. You may register for an appointment via the Rutgers Vaccination Portal. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are also available at many locations throughout the state.

Members of the public, including eligible children, may also be vaccinated or boosted at Rutgers locations. Those without a NetID (such as members of the general public) may schedule an appointment by calling the Vaccine Scheduling Assistance Program at 848-445-3033, Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.  Please note that pediatric vaccinations for eligible children are available only at the Piscataway location.

Additional information, including vaccine clinic hours and location details and other FAQs, can be found on the University-wide COVID-19 vaccination information site.

In good health,

Brian L. Strom, MD, MPH
Chancellor, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Rutgers University

Vicente Gracias, MD
Senior Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Vice President for Health Affairs, Rutgers University