COVID-19 vaccine coverage among college students following vaccine mandates

Abstract

Objective: Colleges are potential hotspots for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 due to lower immunization rates and possible close contacts among young adults. Some universities have implemented policies mandating COVID-19 vaccination; however, their effects remain uncertain. We estimated COVID-19 vaccination rates with and without university-mandated vaccination policies.

Participants: A university-wide survey was conducted among 2,011 students.

Methods: Students completed an online questionnaire on sociodemographics, COVID-19 vaccine status, and vaccine intention.

Results: Without university vaccine mandates, 76% of students would receive a COVID-19 vaccination, and with vaccine mandates, more than 82% of students would receive vaccination. Despite this improvement, we observed fewer changes in vaccine coverage for certain subgroups of students, indicating these policies could exacerbate ongoing disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccine mandates on campuses are likely to increase vaccination rates modestly. However, interventions will likely be required to supplement vaccine mandates.

Keywords: COVID-19 vaccines; disparities; survey; university students; vaccine mandates; vaccine predictors.