Mississippi bans universities from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccine

Mississippi is banning universities from requiring students, faculty, and staff to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

According to Mississippi Today, the state’s Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning voted earlier this month to implement the ban in response to numerous schools and universities implementing vaccine mandates.

Mississippi’s eight publicly funded universities are now “prohibited by the Board from implementing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate as a condition of employment or enrollment except for clinical settings,” IHL spokesperson Caron Blanton said in a statement.

Despite voting to ban schools from implementing a vaccine mandate, the board did emphasize that it was in favor of students getting vaccinated. 

“I’d like for us to point out our support for the vaccine, and that it is by far and away the best protection we have for our schools.” Trustee Chip Morgan said during the hearing.

The ruling makes Mississippi one of the first states to bar vaccine mandates in higher education.