COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption Requests

View the Yale COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. Faculty, staff, postdoctoral/postgraduate trainees, and students with a vaccination requirement may request an exemption for medical reasons or religious beliefs. 

Anyone requesting an exemption must access, complete, and upload the request forms through the following links:

Student COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption Form

Faculty/Staff COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption Form (Health On Track)

Once completed, requests are submitted to the university’s COVID-19 vaccine exemption review committees. NOTE: If you have an approved medical or religious exemption for a primary vaccine series, you do not need to submit another exemption request for the booster requirement.

Faculty, staff, postdoctoral/postgraduate trainees, and students seeking a medical exemption must access, complete, and upload the request form through the links above. The medical exemption request must include a signed form from a medical provider confirming the medical basis for the request. The university’s COVID-19 Vaccine Medical Exemption Review Committee will review the information submitted and determine the medical necessity of the request.

The Medical Exemption Review Committee may require additional information to complete its review and will contact the requestor. Medical exemptions may be granted temporarily.

Reasons for a permanent medical exemption include:

• Documented history of severe allergic reaction to a component of each currently available COVID-19 vaccine
• Documented history of severe or immediate-type hypersensitivity allergic reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, and separate contraindication to other available formulations
• Receiving immunosuppressive (weakens the immune system) treatment and advised by a medical provider to defer vaccination until a future date
• Another medical condition where it is advised by a medical provider to forgo vaccination.
• A history of myocarditis or pericarditis after a dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

Reasons for a temporary medical exemption include:

• Having been treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma (90-day exemption)
• Having been diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (90-day exemption)
• Another medical condition where it is advised by a medical provider to defer vaccination until a future date.
• Having tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days. 

Examples of conditions that are NOT considered for a medical exemption include:

• History of severe allergic reactions to foods, oral medications, latex, pets, insects, and environmental triggers
• History of immunocompromising conditions where the vaccine may be less effective
• Fear of needles
• A history of vaccine side effects or general avoidance of vaccines.

Faculty, staff, postdoctoral/postgraduate trainees, and students seeking a religious exemption must access, complete, and submit an exemption request form through the links above. The university’s COVID-19 Religious Belief Exemption Review Committee will review the request and the Public Health Ambassador team may reach out to the requestor to schedule a conversation.

The purpose of this conversation is to review the exemption request and provide additional information as may be needed, not to assess the sincerity of religious beliefs, practices, or observances.

Updated January 31, 2024